A new national study from George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University indicates that American adults — including a large majority of self-identified Christians — harbor beliefs about sin that are culturally appealing, but inconsistent with Scripture.
The research, part of the annual American Worldview Inventory 2025, found that just one out of every seven self-described Christians — just 14% — holds a biblically accurate understanding of sin.
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The research also found widespread resistance to the idea that everyone is guilty of sin.
Only half of all American adults (52%) believe that everyone has sinned, despite this being a foundational Christian doctrine and the basis of every person’s need for salvation through Jesus Christ.
Two out of three self-professed Christians (66%) hold that view, with notable differences between Protestants (73%) and Catholics (57%). Generationally, the youngest adults were far less likely to affirm universal sinfulness, with just 41% of Gen Z agreeing, compared to 49% of Millennials, 53% of Gen X, and 57% of Baby Boomers. Black adults (62%) were more likely than whites (51%) or Hispanics (50%) to agree, while only 28% of Asians affirmed the belief.
Personal acknowledgment of sinfulness was also lacking. Just over half of adults (52%) believe that they, personally, are sinners. Younger adults were less inclined to accept that label (47% under age 50) compared to older adults (56% over age 50). Less than one-third of Asians (31%) identified as sinners, compared to a slight majority of black adults (54%). Regional differences were also evident, with Midwestern and Southern residents more likely to describe themselves as sinners than their Eastern and Western counterparts.
Closer look
Perhaps most surprisingly, even among groups where orthodox teaching would presume clarity, the results showed deep inconsistency.
— One-quarter of theologically-identified born-again Christians — defined as those assured of Heaven because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as Savior — refused to categorize themselves as sinners.
— Four out of 10 self-identified Christians (40%) rejected the “sinner” label outright.
— Within Protestantism, one-third of regular attenders at Protestant churches denied being sinners, while one-half of Catholic attenders rejected the designation.
— Within the Protestant tradition itself, acceptance of personal sinfulness varied: 70% among mainline church attenders, 69% among independent or non-denominational Christians, 61% among evangelicals, and just 55% among Pentecostal or charismatic congregants.
George Barna, director of research at the Cultural Research Center, observed that this lack of understanding poses a direct barrier to evangelism.
“Among adults who are not associated with the Christian faith, only about one-third (36%) believe they are a sinner,” Barna noted. “Individuals aligned with religions other than Christianity are even less likely to embrace that label (27%) than atheists and agnostics (38%). It appears that atheists and agnostics are largely unfazed by the concept of sin, while adherents of non-Christian faiths are less likely to believe it exists at all.”
EDITOR’S NOTE — This report was originally released by George Barna and the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. Barna, who founded the original Barna Group and now serves as director of research at the CRC, has more than four decades of experience studying faith and culture. He is the author of more than 60 books, including “Raising Spiritual Champions: Nurturing Your Child’s Heart, Mind and Soul.”
