A new report reveals a rapid and deep erosion of traditional biblical views among regular American churchgoers, particularly on the sanctity of life and the definition of family.
A highlighted finding shows that in just two years, the percentage of churchgoing adults who identify as “pro-life” has plummeted from 63% to 43%, according to a national study released Monday (Oct. 13) by the Family Research Council (FRC) in partnership with the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University (CRC).
The extensive survey, which polled more than 1,000 adults who attend Christian worship services at least monthly, paints a picture of a church struggling with its convictions in the face of overwhelming cultural pressure. The research suggests that on foundational moral issues, the gap between those in the pews and the secular public is narrowing at an accelerated pace.
“It’s deeply discouraging to see the share of churchgoers identifying as pro-life drop so dramatically,” said David Closson, Director of FRC’s Center for Biblical Worldview. “For decades, Christians have led the way in defending the dignity of unborn life, but these findings reveal just how much cultural confusion has seeped into the church.”
The study, titled "Social Issues and Worldview: A National Survey of Churchgoing Americans,” updates a comparable survey from 2023, allowing for a direct analysis of the rapid shifts in belief. The findings are being released just days before FRC’s annual “Pray, Vote, Stand Summit,” where Christian leaders and government officials will gather to discuss the critical issues facing the country.
The report, directed by veteran researcher George Barna, highlights varying views on the issue of abortion. The 20-percentage-point drop in pro-life identification was accompanied by a significant rise in those identifying as “pro-choice,” which climbed from 22% in 2023 to 35% today. This dramatic shift occurred across nearly all demographics within the church.
Some of the most significant declines in pro-life identity were seen among groups traditionally considered strongholds of the conviction. Self-identified evangelicals saw a 33-point drop, while adults under 50 dropped 26 points.
Beyond self-identification, the survey found that a vast majority of churchgoers (73%) expressed contradictory views when asked about their beliefs across six different abortion-related measures. Another 10% simply admitted they did not know enough to form a coherent position.
This growing ambivalence appears linked to a waning confidence in the clarity of Scripture on the matter. In 2023, two-thirds of churchgoers (65%) believed the Bible is clear and decisive in its teaching on abortion. By 2025, that number had fallen to just 51%. Strikingly, even among the 51% who believe the Bible is clear, only half (53%) identify as pro-life, while nearly a third (30%) still call themselves pro-choice.
The study also suggests a vacuum of teaching from the pulpit. Just over half of churchgoers (53%) reported that their church preaches or teaches on abortion at least once a year. A quarter of Protestants (26%) and 16% of Catholics said their church never addresses the topic.
Furthermore, the appetite for such teaching is shrinking; the share of churchgoers who said more biblical worldview education on abortion is “very desirable” fell from 41% in 2023 to just 28% today.
“When the people of God lose moral clarity on an issue as fundamental as the sanctity of life, it signals a serious discipleship crisis,” Closson stated. “Scripture could not be clearer that every human life is made in the image of God and therefore possesses immeasurable worth (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139).”
The survey found a similar decline in consensus regarding the definition of family. The study revealed no majority view among churchgoers, with the largest share (46%) defining family according to God’s design — a man and a woman married to each other, along with their children and relatives.
However, a significant portion embraced alternative definitions. Roughly one in five (22%) said the definition of family changes over time and across cultures, and nearly as many (20%) believe family is simply any group of people who care for one another.
Support for the biblical definition was strongest among theologically defined born-again Christians (59%) and Pentecostal churchgoers (56%). It was weakest among those who do not believe in God (18%), political liberals (29%), and younger generations.
Generational patterns were particularly stark. Among churchgoing members of Gen Z (ages 18–22), only 34% chose the biblical definition of family. Less than half of this group (44%) said it is important for society to facilitate families with a father, mother, and children, and only 49% agreed that marriage is exclusively between one man and one woman.
For FRC’s leadership and the study’s researchers, the data points not to a political failure but to a spiritual one.
“The data in the report underscores that confusion inside the church is not primarily a political problem; it’s a discipleship problem,” Closson explained. “The next generation is being catechized daily by social media, entertainment, and academia, often far more effectively than by the local church.”
George Barna, who serves as a Senior Research Fellow for FRC, agreed that external forces are having a powerful impact. “The media bombardment favoring a new moral standard is clearly having a transformative effect on Americans,” he stated.
Despite the bleak trends, Closson pointed to some encouraging signs. The study found that large majorities of churchgoers still affirm foundational biblical truths: 84% agree every person is made in God’s likeness, 83% say every human has undeniable value, and 75% affirm that the God of the Bible is the only author of life.
“The fact that many still affirm these truths shows the foundation is not lost—it simply needs to be reinforced through faithful preaching and intentional discipleship,” Closson noted. He issued a strong call to action for church leaders.
“Pastors and Christian educators must reclaim their calling to ‘equip the saints’ (Ephesians 4:12) by teaching a full-orbed biblical worldview,” he urged. “This is not the time for silence or vagueness.”
Barna suggested the solution also involves laypeople. “Perhaps the best way to combat the decline in biblical moral perspectives is for Bible-believing Christians to be more candid and bolder in engaging friends and family in dialogue about critical moral issues,” he said. “We cannot let unbiblical views go unchallenged.”
