Study: Majority of Americans Take the Bible Literally

The majority of American adults believe five out six biblical stories as literally true. A recent study found that an overwhelming 75 percent believe that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary.

The majority of American adults believe five out six biblical stories as literally true. Even though some Americans believe the bible is merely allegorical, according to a recent Barna Group study, an overwhelming 75 percent believe that Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary.

The study also showed that at least 68 percent of Americans believed that Jesus turned water in to wine and that He performed the miraculous feat of feeding 5,000 with fish and bread.

“Many people seem to divide the Bible into two separate and unequal portions: the Old Testament, with what they perceive to be allegorical stories, and the New Testament, with what they believe to be factual history,” said George Barna, founder of the Barna Group and the project’s researcher and author.

Americans surveyed had mixed beliefs about the Old Testament’s literal validity.