CHRISTIANS under the age of 25 are less likely to identify themselves as evangelicals, even if they worship at evangelical churches, according to a new report by the Evangelical Alliance (EA).
The report titled, ‘21st Century Evangelicals: A snapshot of the beliefs and habits of Evangelical Christians in the UK’, published by the EA and Christian Research, is based on the views of more than 17,000 people who completed questionnaires at Evangelical festivals and at churches affiliated to the EA during 2010.
According to the report, 67 percent of those surveyed aged between 16 and 24 considered themselves to be ‘evangelical Christians’. This percentage increased with the age range: 87 percent of those aged over 65 described themselves as evangelical.
The report stated that: “These results could simply reveal that younger people are rejecting the name ‘evangelical’, or that Christians start referring to themselves as ‘evangelical Christians’ later in life.”
Director of Share Jesus International Andy Frost said: “They don’t understand party lines and church squabbles”, and that, for them, “the word ‘evangelical’ has been tarnished by American political agendas. This generation simply wants to get the job done. Evangelicalism needs to be redefined for them as Grace and Truth.”
Authority of the Bible
However, the report found that the Bible played a ‘significant role in the lives of evangelicals’, and that 83 percent of evangelical respondents ‘strongly’ agreed that ‘the Bible has the supreme authority in guiding their beliefs and behavior.’
Sex outside marriage
Sixty-two percent of those surveyed said that they ‘strongly’ agreed that ‘sexual intercourse outside marriage is wrong’; 59 percent said that ‘homosexual actions are always wrong’; and eight out of 10 said that homosexual couples should not be able to have civil partnerships blessed in churches.
Uncertainty over hell
The report identified most uncertainty among evangelicals over the topic of hell. A minority — 37 percent — ‘strongly’ agreed “that hell is a place where the condemned will suffer eternal conscious pain”. But the vast majority — 91 percent — ‘strongly’ agreed ‘that Jesus is the only way to God.’
Seventy percent of evangelicals believe ‘to some extent that Christians should work collaboratively with people of other faiths on community projects’. Nine out of 10 people surveyed agreed that ‘to some extent, it’s a Christian’s duty to be involved in activities that benefit the local community.’
The report found that evangelical women over the age of 55 gave the most hours to volunteering; and men between the ages of 35 and 44 gave the least.
The report can be downloaded at https://www.eauk.org/snapshot
