This is from the Barna Group. It's a shame they didn't ask us Baptists. Looks like we aren't considered "Mainstream" enough for them! 
Seriously it is tragic to see the apostacy taking over what were once strongly Biblical Christian churches (tho' off about baptism & one or two other things...).
We received this via e-mail, so I don't have all the references, but here it is in full:
IS PROTESTANT COLLAPSE INEVITABLE?
The Barna Group
Commenting on the recent findings of the Barna Research Group, Dr. Paul Hinlicky, ELCA theologian at Roanoke College, told the UPI that
the survey disclosed "an absolute collapse of mainline Protestantism" in the USA. The well-known research group summarized its study as showing a "very considerable diversity within the
Christian community regarding core beliefs," an erosion that disturbs Hinlicky.
Barna Research found only 21 percent of Lutherans in America, 20 percent of the Episcopalians, 18 per cent of the Methodists, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians attest to the basic Protestant doctrine that a man does not earn his way to heaven by good works. Yet this doctrine, that man is made right with God ("justified") alone by
grace through faith in Christ's saving work (with "good works" being simply the fruits of faith) is the foundation of the Reformation,
Hinlicky noted, and is accepted by only nine percent of Roman Catholics in the USA. "If this figure holds up it signals a complete breakdown of catechetical instruction," said Hinlicky.
His colleague in the Religion Department at Roanoke, Episcopalian Gerald McDermott, agreed: "This happened because in the last 30
years American pastors have lost their nerve to preach a theology that goes against the grain. We are witnessing what Francis Shaeffer predicted over 20 years ago -- that the American church of the future would be dedicated solely to peace and affluence."
By contrast, the Barna researchers found that in the evangelical churches like the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal/Foursquare and nondenominational groups, more than 60 percent of the members
remain committed to the "justification by faith formula" of the Reformation.
Other Erosions
McDermott commented also on the gloomy parallel finding that only 33 percent of the Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists, and only 28 percent of the Episcopalians, agreed with the statement that Christ was without sin. He said that these numbers indicate "an epochal change in popular theology. This would suggest a loss of faith in
the Divinity of Christ." He added, "Christ would then be no more than the Dalai Lama, an admirable kind of a guy."
Hinlicky proposed that "zero theology" in the mainline churches since the 1960's is the cause of this breakdown in the faith. It contrasts with the evangelical churches, including the Baptist
denomination, where 55 to 73 percent believe that Christ is sinless.
McDermott believes that the cowardice of pastors is responsible for the tectonic changes in their members' faith. "They are afraid to preach and teach anything that challenges what people already think.
The result is a belief in a meek, mild-mannered God who does not want to judge us. They have given up talking about divorce, abortion and homosexuality, and are even retreating from the Trinity." He illustrated by recounting how on Trinity Sunday "I was in an Episcopal church, where the rector stated that this was only
something for pastors to think about. Ordinary people did not have to bother with it."
The Barna finding that a mere 17 percent of the Catholics, 18 percent Methodists, 20 percent Episcopalians, 21 percent Lutherans, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians told Barna that they thought Satan was real, was particularly puzzling to Hinlicky. "It tells us that even the Lutherans are utterly out of step with Luther, to whom
the Devil was very much a reality."
[EDITOR DAVID VIRTUE'S RESPONSE: How aptly these foreboding findings underline the late Francis Schaeffer's prophetic vision, that the present-day churches are too timid to confront and challenge the politically correct values of our culture. This can be seen, for example, in the
fact that while less than 4000 people perished in the Twin-Towers Attack on 9/11, that very day and every day before and since, more than 4000 unborn children in the US are sacrificed in abortion clinics - yet your editor at least, has not uncovered in the media, religious or secular, a single reference to this gruesome parallel.]
[ February 25, 2002, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: javalady ]
Seriously it is tragic to see the apostacy taking over what were once strongly Biblical Christian churches (tho' off about baptism & one or two other things...).
We received this via e-mail, so I don't have all the references, but here it is in full:
IS PROTESTANT COLLAPSE INEVITABLE?
The Barna Group
Commenting on the recent findings of the Barna Research Group, Dr. Paul Hinlicky, ELCA theologian at Roanoke College, told the UPI that
the survey disclosed "an absolute collapse of mainline Protestantism" in the USA. The well-known research group summarized its study as showing a "very considerable diversity within the
Christian community regarding core beliefs," an erosion that disturbs Hinlicky.
Barna Research found only 21 percent of Lutherans in America, 20 percent of the Episcopalians, 18 per cent of the Methodists, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians attest to the basic Protestant doctrine that a man does not earn his way to heaven by good works. Yet this doctrine, that man is made right with God ("justified") alone by
grace through faith in Christ's saving work (with "good works" being simply the fruits of faith) is the foundation of the Reformation,
Hinlicky noted, and is accepted by only nine percent of Roman Catholics in the USA. "If this figure holds up it signals a complete breakdown of catechetical instruction," said Hinlicky.
His colleague in the Religion Department at Roanoke, Episcopalian Gerald McDermott, agreed: "This happened because in the last 30
years American pastors have lost their nerve to preach a theology that goes against the grain. We are witnessing what Francis Shaeffer predicted over 20 years ago -- that the American church of the future would be dedicated solely to peace and affluence."
By contrast, the Barna researchers found that in the evangelical churches like the Assemblies of God, Pentecostal/Foursquare and nondenominational groups, more than 60 percent of the members
remain committed to the "justification by faith formula" of the Reformation.
Other Erosions
McDermott commented also on the gloomy parallel finding that only 33 percent of the Catholics, Lutherans and Methodists, and only 28 percent of the Episcopalians, agreed with the statement that Christ was without sin. He said that these numbers indicate "an epochal change in popular theology. This would suggest a loss of faith in
the Divinity of Christ." He added, "Christ would then be no more than the Dalai Lama, an admirable kind of a guy."
Hinlicky proposed that "zero theology" in the mainline churches since the 1960's is the cause of this breakdown in the faith. It contrasts with the evangelical churches, including the Baptist
denomination, where 55 to 73 percent believe that Christ is sinless.
McDermott believes that the cowardice of pastors is responsible for the tectonic changes in their members' faith. "They are afraid to preach and teach anything that challenges what people already think.
The result is a belief in a meek, mild-mannered God who does not want to judge us. They have given up talking about divorce, abortion and homosexuality, and are even retreating from the Trinity." He illustrated by recounting how on Trinity Sunday "I was in an Episcopal church, where the rector stated that this was only
something for pastors to think about. Ordinary people did not have to bother with it."
The Barna finding that a mere 17 percent of the Catholics, 18 percent Methodists, 20 percent Episcopalians, 21 percent Lutherans, and 22 percent of the Presbyterians told Barna that they thought Satan was real, was particularly puzzling to Hinlicky. "It tells us that even the Lutherans are utterly out of step with Luther, to whom
the Devil was very much a reality."
[EDITOR DAVID VIRTUE'S RESPONSE: How aptly these foreboding findings underline the late Francis Schaeffer's prophetic vision, that the present-day churches are too timid to confront and challenge the politically correct values of our culture. This can be seen, for example, in the
fact that while less than 4000 people perished in the Twin-Towers Attack on 9/11, that very day and every day before and since, more than 4000 unborn children in the US are sacrificed in abortion clinics - yet your editor at least, has not uncovered in the media, religious or secular, a single reference to this gruesome parallel.]
[ February 25, 2002, 01:34 PM: Message edited by: javalady ]
