- Introduction
- Patterns
Beliefs about Jesus (Demographic Patterns)
Which one statement comes closest to your personal beliefs about Jesus?. Results weighted by WGT (Baylor Religion Survey, 2005)
Beliefs about Jesus by Gender
| Male | Female | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 1.9% 15 | 1.0% 9 | 1.4% 24 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 4.4% 35 | 2.0% 18 | 3.1% 53 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 9.8% 78 | 4.7% 42 | 7.1% 120 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 11.1% 88 | 10.5% 94 | 10.8% 182 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 67.8% 539 | 76.8% 686 | 72.6% 1225 |
| I have no opinion | 5.0% 40 | 4.9% 44 | 5.0% 84 |
| Missing | 14 | 18 | 32 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 795 | 100.0% 893 | 1688 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Race
| White | Black | Other | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 1.6% 23 | 0.0% 0 | 1.1% 1 | 0 | 1.4% 24 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 3.1% 45 | 2.2% 3 | 5.5% 5 | 1 | 3.2% 53 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 7.5% 108 | 0.7% 1 | 8.8% 8 | 3 | 7.1% 117 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 10.5% 150 | 13.4% 18 | 12.1% 11 | 3 | 10.8% 179 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 72.0% 1031 | 82.1% 110 | 64.8% 59 | 25 | 72.4% 1200 |
| I have no opinion | 5.2% 75 | 1.5% 2 | 7.7% 7 | 1 | 5.1% 84 |
| Missing | 21 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 25 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 1432 | 100.0% 134 | 100.0% 91 | 33 | 1657 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Religion
| Catholic | Protestant | Other | None | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 0.3% 1 | 0.3% 3 | 0.8% 1 | 11.4% 20 | 0 | 1.5% 25 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 1.1% 4 | 0.6% 6 | 6.6% 8 | 19.9% 35 | 1 | 3.2% 53 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 3.7% 13 | 2.5% 25 | 17.2% 21 | 30.1% 53 | 9 | 6.8% 112 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 9.6% 34 | 8.2% 82 | 36.1% 44 | 11.4% 20 | 2 | 10.9% 180 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 80.2% 283 | 87.0% 874 | 32.8% 40 | 9.1% 16 | 12 | 73.2% 1213 |
| I have no opinion | 5.1% 18 | 1.5% 15 | 6.6% 8 | 18.2% 32 | 11 | 4.4% 73 |
| Missing | 6 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 27 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 353 | 100.0% 1005 | 100.0% 122 | 100.0% 176 | 35 | 1656 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Age
| 18-30 | 31-44 | 45-64 | 65+ | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 3.3% 7 | 2.1% 10 | 0.8% 5 | 0.3% 1 | 0 | 1.4% 23 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 4.3% 9 | 3.8% 18 | 2.5% 16 | 2.8% 10 | 0 | 3.2% 53 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 10.5% 22 | 7.9% 37 | 7.3% 46 | 4.0% 14 | 1 | 7.1% 119 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 9.5% 20 | 10.2% 48 | 13.0% 82 | 9.1% 32 | 1 | 10.9% 182 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 66.2% 139 | 69.8% 328 | 72.5% 459 | 79.3% 279 | 20 | 72.4% 1205 |
| I have no opinion | 6.2% 13 | 6.2% 29 | 3.9% 25 | 4.5% 16 | 3 | 5.0% 83 |
| Missing | 2 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 27 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 210 | 100.0% 470 | 100.0% 633 | 100.0% 352 | 25 | 1665 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Church attendance
| Never | < 1 Month | < 1 a Week | Weekly + | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 5.4% 20 | 0.9% 4 | 0.0% 0 | 0.0% 0 | 0 | 1.4% 24 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 10.3% 38 | 2.4% 11 | 1.0% 2 | 0.5% 3 | 0 | 3.2% 54 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 21.5% 79 | 7.1% 33 | 1.5% 3 | 0.5% 3 | 3 | 7.1% 118 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 11.7% 43 | 18.8% 88 | 10.2% 20 | 4.5% 29 | 2 | 10.8% 180 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 37.8% 139 | 64.7% 303 | 86.2% 169 | 94.1% 603 | 11 | 72.6% 1214 |
| I have no opinion | 13.3% 49 | 6.2% 29 | 1.0% 2 | 0.5% 3 | 2 | 5.0% 83 |
| Missing | 2 | 17 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 28 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 368 | 100.0% 468 | 100.0% 196 | 100.0% 641 | 18 | 1673 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Political ideology
| George W. Bush | John Kerry | Ralph Nader | Somebody else | No preference | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 1.1% 9 | 2.1% 14 | 0.0% 0 | 0.7% 1 | 2.0% 1 | 0 | 1.5% 25 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 1.3% 10 | 5.5% 36 | 0.0% 0 | 5.1% 7 | 2.0% 1 | 0 | 3.2% 54 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 2.8% 22 | 11.3% 74 | 26.7% 8 | 9.6% 13 | 4.0% 2 | 1 | 7.1% 119 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 4.4% 35 | 18.9% 124 | 13.3% 4 | 10.3% 14 | 4.0% 2 | 4 | 10.7% 179 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 87.0% 696 | 55.9% 367 | 60.0% 18 | 66.2% 90 | 84.0% 42 | 10 | 72.5% 1213 |
| I have no opinion | 3.5% 28 | 6.4% 42 | 0.0% 0 | 8.1% 11 | 4.0% 2 | 1 | 5.0% 83 |
| Missing | 13 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 26 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 800 | 100.0% 657 | 100.0% 30 | 100.0% 136 | 100.0% 50 | 16 | 1673 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Education
| < High school | HS grad | Some college | Jr college | College graduate | Postgraduate work/Degree | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 0.7% 1 | 1.3% 4 | 3.0% 14 | 0.6% 1 | 0.6% 2 | 0.7% 2 | 0 | 1.4% 24 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 0.0% 0 | 1.3% 4 | 4.9% 23 | 3.4% 6 | 1.9% 6 | 5.5% 15 | 1 | 3.2% 54 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 3.5% 5 | 3.3% 10 | 6.4% 30 | 5.7% 10 | 10.9% 34 | 11.7% 32 | 2 | 7.2% 121 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 0.7% 1 | 6.3% 19 | 9.0% 42 | 12.6% 22 | 13.5% 42 | 19.8% 54 | 2 | 10.8% 180 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 93.0% 132 | 83.1% 251 | 70.7% 331 | 68.6% 120 | 69.2% 216 | 57.9% 158 | 16 | 72.2% 1208 |
| I have no opinion | 2.1% 3 | 4.6% 14 | 6.0% 28 | 9.1% 16 | 3.8% 12 | 4.4% 12 | 0 | 5.1% 85 |
| Missing | 0 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 24 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 142 | 100.0% 302 | 100.0% 468 | 100.0% 175 | 100.0% 312 | 100.0% 273 | 21 | 1672 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Marital status
| Never married | Married | Living as married | Separated/Divorced | Widowed | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 0.8% 2 | 1.6% 15 | 0.0% 0 | 2.2% 6 | 0.8% 1 | 0 | 1.4% 24 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 5.4% 14 | 2.7% 26 | 3.3% 2 | 3.0% 8 | 2.3% 3 | 1 | 3.2% 53 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 12.6% 33 | 6.1% 58 | 9.8% 6 | 6.7% 18 | 3.1% 4 | 2 | 7.1% 119 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 14.9% 39 | 10.0% 95 | 18.0% 11 | 10.4% 28 | 5.4% 7 | 2 | 10.8% 180 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 62.1% 162 | 75.4% 715 | 55.7% 34 | 71.0% 191 | 82.2% 106 | 16 | 72.4% 1208 |
| I have no opinion | 4.2% 11 | 4.1% 39 | 13.1% 8 | 6.7% 18 | 6.2% 8 | 0 | 5.0% 84 |
| Missing | 2 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 25 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 261 | 100.0% 948 | 100.0% 61 | 100.0% 269 | 100.0% 129 | 21 | 1668 |
Beliefs about Jesus by Household income
| < $20,000 | $20,001-$35,000 | $35,001-$50,000 | $50,001 - $100,000 | $100,001+ | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jesus is a fictional character | 1.1% 3 | 1.3% 3 | 2.7% 8 | 1.0% 5 | 1.4% 4 | 1 | 1.4% 23 |
| Jesus probably existed, but he was not special | 3.2% 9 | 2.2% 5 | 3.4% 10 | 2.3% 12 | 5.7% 16 | 1 | 3.3% 52 |
| Jesus was extraordinary person/wasn't messenger of God | 3.2% 9 | 5.6% 13 | 7.8% 23 | 8.2% 42 | 10.0% 28 | 7 | 7.2% 115 |
| Jesus was one of many messengers or prophets of God | 5.8% 16 | 10.8% 25 | 9.9% 29 | 11.7% 60 | 14.3% 40 | 11 | 10.7% 170 |
| Jesus is the son of God | 83.8% 232 | 76.6% 177 | 69.3% 203 | 72.0% 370 | 62.4% 174 | 69 | 72.5% 1156 |
| I have no opinion | 2.9% 8 | 3.5% 8 | 6.8% 20 | 4.9% 25 | 6.1% 17 | 7 | 4.9% 78 |
| Missing | 2 | 5 | 10 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 22 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 277 | 100.0% 231 | 100.0% 293 | 100.0% 514 | 100.0% 279 | 96 | 1594 |
Notes
The Baylor Religion Survey (BRS) is national population survey of religious characteristics, orientations, and attitudes modeled after the General Social Survey. The 2005 BRS data includes 1,721 responses collected by the Gallup Organization. A third of the survey is dedicated solely to religion items; focusing on affiliation, identity, belief, experience, and commitment. Two-thirds of the survey is dedicated to topical modules which will be rotated in subsequent administrations. The 2005 survey includes modules on moral and political attitudes, the consumption of religious goods, the paranormal and civic engagement.
