What percentage of Christians believe in the Theory of Evolution?

Answer 1

ok no offense but about 75% of christains dont even go to church sundays or wenesdays. most dont kno about stories from bible because they have never read it but they do hear about scientific theories in school so i would say that from my age group about 26% believe in bigbang, 30% believe in God created world and rest dont care

Answer 2

This is from a poll at Beliefnet:

Belief in evolution...
...Weakens my faith 2%

...Changes my concept of God, though I believe in him 8%

...Strengthens my faith 27%

...Has nothing to do with my other beliefs 35%

...I don't believe in evolution 27%

It does not indicate what percentage of the respondents are Christians, but the poll is on a page about Christianity and evolution.
In the answers to this question so far, the largest percentage of respondents are Christians who don't believe in evolution- about 39% of the answers. Next highest is Christians who believe in evolution at about 32%. The remaining answerers are either reporting on what they know of the beliefs of others or are people who don't care to make evolution a religious concern.
I think it might be very reasonable to guess that at least a third of the Christians in the western world would not disagree with the theory of evolution. Probably more.

Answer 3

Didn't the Vatican come out and say that there was too much evidence towards evolution to just ignore it? I'm pretty sure the pope said that a few years back...not the current pope...

I could be wrong. I pay about as much attention to the pope as I do the hair on my feet. I think I remember reading something like that in the news though.

EDIT: Yep, I found the quote from Pope John Paul II:

"Today, almost half a century after publication of the encyclical, new knowledge has led to the recognition of the theory of evolution as more than a hypothesis. It is indeed remarkable that this theory has been progressively accepted by researchers, following a series of discoveries in various fields of knowledge. The convergence, neither sought nor fabricated, of the results of work that was conducted independently is in itself a significant argument in favor of the theory."

He recognized that science and Scripture sometimes have “apparent contradictions,” but said that in the case of evolution, a “solution” must be found because “truth cannot contradict truth.”


It's strange that some people that answered this question would consider the Pope (ex-Pope in this case) to be non-Christian.

Answer 4

I don't know, but I'm a Christian, and I DO believe in some evolution. Do I believe that we evolved from apes? No. But I do believe in the caveman (man was created first, in Genesis 1, and then Adam and Eve were created in Genesis 2. It's entirely possible that the FIRST instances of mankind evolved from the Neanderthal. However, the first line of mankind was discontinued, while the line of Adam and Eve survived.)
I believe in evolution within SPECIES. I don't believe that a fish can become a mammal, or that a mammal can become an insect, or anything like that.
It is NOT supported by the fossil record. But the fossil record DOES support the idea that there has been evolution within species.
As for anyone who said that a "true" Christian wouldn't believe in evolution, who are YOU to judge?!

Answer 5

Who cares? WHO CARES????I am so sick of this evolution vs creationism. The truth is we don't know, we will never know, there is no way to know. Genesis is a primitive story written by primitive people who needed to understand where they came from. Evolution is a theory. Knowing or not knowing doesn't change the fact that we are here and have some sort of connection to the cosmos, to a higher power. I myself am a christian, but I don't waste my time worrying about something that I can do nothing to prove or disprove.I spend my time communing with God and in the Spirit with Christ. I will not waste my time debating with cynical atheists or fundamentalist dogma closed minded religious fanatics. Thank God I'm an Episcopalian.

Answer 6

These stats are for Americans. I'm sure they are higher in Europe:

Only 28 percent of white evangelical Protestants believe in evolution compared to majority of seculars and most other Christian groups, such as Catholics and mainline Protestants, reported the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press and the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life last week. Instead, the group supports the idea that living beings have the same form presently as the beginning of time.

Meanwhile, the national survey conducted early July on 2,003 adults found 59 percent of white Catholics, 62 percent of white mainline Protestants and 83 percent of seculars believe in evolution.

Answer 7

I don't know why people insist on categorizing the beginning of life as either a creationist or an evolutionist philosophy. Why can't they both be happening at the same time? Don't know the percentages, but theoretical science while convincingly has shown evolution as a reality, it's still just a theory. Could it be a natural theory that was created by an all knowing an loving Creator? Hmmm...

Answer 8

Here's the complexity of it: Plenty of Christians will say that it is impossible to be a Christian and believe in evolution. But then they will turn around and quote the Bible as saying "all things are possible through Him." There's no wonder why there are so many atheists. I say to this that if evolution is true, to be proven, and is real, then it can only be so through God. I do believe that all...ALL...things are possible through Him. I am one of the ones that have yet to find proof of evolution, but I won't discount its possibility.

Hope this helps.

Answer 9

I think one of the problems with the church as a whole, that is all sects claiming Christianity, is that they are so quick to jump on the bandwagon and judge everyone. Only God can see the heart. A Christian is a follower of Christ. It says to believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord then you are saved. I think it's awfully self-righteous to be the one casting the stones about what a 'true' Christian is or isn't. Judge not lest ye be judged, for with the same measure you judge, it will be measured unto you.

Anyways.....as far as evolution. I don't not believe it or believe it. It's something in my life that I don't really think matters. I really don't think God cares either way. He certainly didn't say, believe in your hearts and confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord....oh and renounce evolution too. Evolution is certainly possible as anything else is through God.

Answer 10

Hmmm, I'd bet a very small percentage can integrate their christianity with evolution. Mostly just those who reference the part of the bible that says a thousand years is like a day to god. But, I'd rather just toss the whole bible and take my chances with science instead.

Answer 11

From what I gather, in the United States, 78.9% are Christian. Any only 40% of Americans learned that evolution is true. So in theory, if someone can check my statistics, at most 40% of Christians believe in evolution or at least 18.9 believe in it. In the United States, you can check for other countries.