While the religious views of Hispanics tended to be similar to those of whites, Hispanics were found to be more likely than either whites or blacks to reject belief in the Holy Spirit as a living, present being. Also, although 85 percent of Hispanics identified themselves as Christian, this group tends to be fairly intolerant of faith influences on culture. Hispanics were less likely than either whites or blacks to support the posting of the Ten Commandments in public buildings, or retaining religious references such as "In God We Trust" on U.S. currency or "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

The group most likely to describe themselves as "deeply spiritual" and absolutely committed to their faith was black Americans. Interestingly, however, although blacks were determined to be the group most likely to be "born again," they are only half as likely as whites to fit the description of evangelical, as defined by the study. Evangelicals are a subset of born-again Christians in Barna surveys, and they must meet seven additional criteria. Those include believing they have a personal responsibility to share their Christian faith with non-believers, and contending that Satan exists, that salvation is through grace alone -- not works, and that the Bible is accurate in all its teachings.

Lessons from the African-American experience

In analyzing the survey results, author and researcher George Barna found the outcomes consistent with the findings of a multi-year project he recently completed on the relationship between black churches and the lives of blacks. Through these studies, he says his group has "discovered that their faith in Christ has empowered millions of blacks to overcome challenges that might otherwise have been debilitating."

The founder of The Barna Research Group and author of more than 30 books on faith and culture trends finds study of the black faith experience instructive, both for the Church and the culture as a whole. When asked why, he replies that blacks are distinguished from other racial groups in America by "their more overt need for -- and openness to -- Jesus in the midst of a culture that until recently has been comparatively unsympathetic to their needs."

"As the nation's culture becomes more challenging for people of faith, and as the economic and demographic balance of the nation shifts," Barna explains, "the lessons and victories won by black churches will likely serve as a beacon for all ministries in a time of increasing spiritual confusion and searching."

The relationship between black faith and experience is further explored in the recently released High Impact African-American Churches (Regal Books, 2004).  George Barna co-authored the book with Bishop Harry Jackson, Jr., an African American pastor of a large multicultural congregation in the Washington D.C. area. 

© 2004 Agape Press. All rights reserved. Used with permission.