Most American Christians say the Bible doesn't influence their views on Israel: poll
Only about a quarter of American Christians say the Bible influences their views on Israel as the Israel-Hamas war continues after the Oct. 7 attack on civilians in southern Israel killed over 1,200 and prompted an Israeli military offensive in Gaza.
Lifeway Research, in collaboration with The Philos Project, conducted a survey asking 1,252 American Christians for their views on the Israel-Hamas war. The poll, conducted between Nov. 14 and 21 and released Dec. 14, has a margin of error of +/-2.9 percentage points.
Respondents were asked about what has "influenced" their views about Israel and were given a list of responses that they could select all that apply. About 27% of Christians selected the Bible, suggesting that among 73% of respondents, the Bible does not inform their views of Israel.
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The Bible was the second most commonly cited answer, coming in behind the media at 56%.
Other sources of opinions on Israel cited by American Christians include friends and family (26%), personal experiences with Jews (13%), positions of elected officials (13%), their local church (12%), national Christian leaders (10%), teachers or professors (6%) and personal experiences with Palestinians (5%).
Less than two in 10 American Christians (17%) listed the Bible as the primary influence of their views on Israel, coming in second to the media (44%) as the top source of opinions on Israel. Less than 10% of respondents identified each of the remaining options as the primary determinant of their feelings about the Jewish State.
"American Christians have been following the war between Israel and Hamas, and two-thirds of those who attend church most often say their church has prayed for peace in Israel," said Lifeway Research Executive Director Scott McConnell in a statement. "While a majority of American Christians support military action by Israel now, a much larger group believe lasting peace must come by mutual agreement of Palestinians and Israelis."
When asked what they believe to be the "optimal outcome to the current war between Hamas and Israel," 15% of American Christians responded with "Israel subdues Hamas and establishes longterm security over and control of Gaza," while 26% said, "Israel subdues Hamas and resumes negotiations with other Palestinian leaders on a permanent political solution to disagreements."
Twenty-nine percent responded, "Israel and Hamas negotiate an enduring cease fire that results in the release of hostages." Twelve percent said, "Israel subdues Hamas and consolidates civil and military control over both Gaza and the West Bank."
"While a noticeable minority of American Christians are critical of some of Israel's policies prior to October 7, 2023, a majority have positive views of Israel and feel a strong response to the terrorist attack is warranted," McConnell said. "Support for the defense of Israel does not supersede American Christians' desire for civilian lives to be preserved, for negotiations to take place and to continue praying for peace."
Broken down by demographic subgroup, 34% of those between the ages of 30 and 49 cited the Bible as an influence on their opinions of Israel, while just 22% of respondents aged 65 and older said the same. Thirty-one percent of Christians with some college education (31%) identified the Bible as a source of their opinions on Israel, as did 25% of those with a high school education or less.
A much higher share of Protestants (32%) and non-denominational Christians (37%) pointed to the Bible as an influence on their views about Israel than Catholics (16%).
An individual's frequency of religious worship also appeared to play a role in the weight of the Bible in determining their views about Israel. Thirty-nine percent of respondents who attend church services once a week or more pointed to the Bible as a source of their opinions regarding Israel, along with 37% of those who go to church two to three times a month, 22% who attend services once a month or several times a year, 19% who never go to church and 15% who rarely attend.
Similarly, Protestants (21%) and non-denominational Christians (25%) were more likely to point to the Bible as the primary determinant of their opinion about the Holy Land than Catholics (9%). Twenty-two percent of respondents between the ages of 30 and 49 credited the Bible as the main source of their views on Israel, while just 15% of Christians 65 years old and older said the same.
Those who attend worship services once a week or more were most likely to primarily attribute their views on Israel to the Bible (27%), followed by respondents who go to church two to three times a month (21%), once a month or several times a year (13%) and Christians who rarely go to church (9%).
Overall, 65% of American Christians have a positive opinion of Israel. All demographic subgroups examined had at least a plurality of respondents who viewed the Jewish state favorably.
The group with the highest favorability ratings for Israel was those over the age of 65 (78%), followed by those who go to church two to three times a month (72%), males (71%), respondents who go to church at least once a week (71%), whites (70%), those who never go to church (68%) and Christians between the ages of 50 and 64 (67%).
Smaller majorities of females (60%), those who go to church once a month or several times a year (59%), respondents aged 30-49 (57%), those who rarely go to church (57%), Hispanic Christians (56%) and African American Christians (51%) have favorable views of Israel. Asians (49%) and Christians aged 18-29 (47%) were the least likely groups to have a favorable opinion of Israel. However, pluralities of both subgroups viewed Israel favorably, with unfavorable ratings for the Jewish state measured at 35% and 42%, respectively.
When asked to identify factors that "have positively influenced [their] opinions about the country of Israel," 28% of respondents cited a statement reading, "the Bible says Christians should support Israel." This was tied as the least popular source of positive views about Israel, along with the belief that "Jews need a refuge after the Holocaust."
The most common reason for the positive opinion of Israel among Christians was the view that "Israelis have a right to defend and protect their state" (60%), followed by the belief that "Israel is the historic Jewish homeland," the fact that "Jesus was a Jew" and the declaration that "Israel is important for fulfilling biblical prophecy" (30%).
Those most likely to describe the Bible's insistence that Christians should support Israel as the reason why they view Israel positively include non-denominational Christians (42%), those who go to church at least once a week (38%), respondents residing in the South (35%), Protestants (33%), those with a high school level of education or less (32%), Christians who go to church two to three times a month (31%), those with some amount of college education (29%) and Christians who attend services once a month or several times a year (25%).
By contrast, smaller shares of Christians with graduate degrees (19%), those who rarely attend church (18%) and Catholics (15%) listed the Bible's mandate for Christians to support Israel as a source of their positive views about the country.
Ryan Foley is a reporter for The Christian Post. He can be reached at: ryan.foley@christianpost.com
