America's Four Gods
America’s Four Gods Based on polling conducted by the Gallup Organization and with funding from the John M. Templeton Foundation, Baylor University has just released a study of the perception of God in America. Previous studies by various researchers have found that 85-90% of Americans say they believe in God. This study found that while Americans may say they believe in one God (94.8%), they do not agree on what that God is like. The Baylor study identified four views of God.
The Authoritarian God The authoritarian God is engaged in the daily life of humans, but is a judgmental God capable of inflicting punishment on the ungodly and the unfaithful. The study found 31.4% of the respondents believed in such a God.
The Benevolent God The benevolent God is also engaged in the daily life of human beings, but He is not as judgmental. He judges, but He is less likely to be angry or act in wrathful ways. The study found that 23% believe in a benevolent God.
The Critical God The critical God is not engaged in peoples’ lives, but He, like the previous two, is judgmental. He watches the world, sometimes unfavorably, but He does not interact with the world. He punishes offenders, eventually. Of the respondents, 16% believe in this kind of a God.
The Distant God Like the critical God, the distant God is not engaged in daily life, but unlike the critical God, the distant God is not judgmental either. He is viewed more as a cosmic force, which sets the laws of nature in motion. The study found 24.4% of the respondents believed in this version of God (Stephen Padilla, “America Sees One God, but in Different Ways,” Los Angeles Times, September 16, 2006).
From this study, it appears that only 54.4% of Americans believe God is engaged in the lives of people, but 70.4% believe that He is judgmental. Based on the way the conclusions of this study were presented, only 23% believe that God is benevolent!
The study raises the question, “What is God like?” Is He engaged in the lives of people? Is He judgmental or benevolent? The answer is, “All of the above,” plus a whole lot more. According to the Scripture, God is holy (Lev. 11:44). God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). God judges (Jn. 5:22). God is involved in the lives of people (Mt. 10:30).
God is a Father. God loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in your place to pay for your sins. If you trust Christ to get you to heaven, you become God’s child (Jn. 1:12-13). As a child of God, if you cry, “Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6) seeking His face and favor, God the Father will be deeply involved in the details of your life (Mt. 6:9-13). As a father, He also disciplines His children (Heb. 12:6-9) and, yes, one day all of God’s children will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10).
If you have not trusted Christ, I can see why you might think God is judgmental, critical, and distant. Why not trust Christ and experience the loving care of the Father?
© G. Michael Cocoris, 9/30.2006
The Authoritarian God The authoritarian God is engaged in the daily life of humans, but is a judgmental God capable of inflicting punishment on the ungodly and the unfaithful. The study found 31.4% of the respondents believed in such a God.
The Benevolent God The benevolent God is also engaged in the daily life of human beings, but He is not as judgmental. He judges, but He is less likely to be angry or act in wrathful ways. The study found that 23% believe in a benevolent God.
The Critical God The critical God is not engaged in peoples’ lives, but He, like the previous two, is judgmental. He watches the world, sometimes unfavorably, but He does not interact with the world. He punishes offenders, eventually. Of the respondents, 16% believe in this kind of a God.
The Distant God Like the critical God, the distant God is not engaged in daily life, but unlike the critical God, the distant God is not judgmental either. He is viewed more as a cosmic force, which sets the laws of nature in motion. The study found 24.4% of the respondents believed in this version of God (Stephen Padilla, “America Sees One God, but in Different Ways,” Los Angeles Times, September 16, 2006).
From this study, it appears that only 54.4% of Americans believe God is engaged in the lives of people, but 70.4% believe that He is judgmental. Based on the way the conclusions of this study were presented, only 23% believe that God is benevolent!
The study raises the question, “What is God like?” Is He engaged in the lives of people? Is He judgmental or benevolent? The answer is, “All of the above,” plus a whole lot more. According to the Scripture, God is holy (Lev. 11:44). God is love (1 Jn. 4:8). God judges (Jn. 5:22). God is involved in the lives of people (Mt. 10:30).
God is a Father. God loves you. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in your place to pay for your sins. If you trust Christ to get you to heaven, you become God’s child (Jn. 1:12-13). As a child of God, if you cry, “Abba, Father (Gal. 4:6) seeking His face and favor, God the Father will be deeply involved in the details of your life (Mt. 6:9-13). As a father, He also disciplines His children (Heb. 12:6-9) and, yes, one day all of God’s children will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom. 14:10).
If you have not trusted Christ, I can see why you might think God is judgmental, critical, and distant. Why not trust Christ and experience the loving care of the Father?
© G. Michael Cocoris, 9/30.2006
