A recent study suggests that 11 per cent of Protestants can't distinguish between Old, New Testaments.
More than one in 10 Protestant churchgoers mistakenly cited New Testament stories when asked to name their favorite Old Testament passage, according to Lifeway Research.
Lifeway Research released a report titled Protestant churchgoer views on Bible stories based on a survey conducted in September 2023. The survey involved 1,008 American Protestant churchgoers and asked them to name their favorite story from the Old Testament.
The results revealed that the book of Exodus, particularly its focus on Moses, was the most popular choice, with 13 per cent of respondents selecting it as their favorite Old Testament story. The story of Noah and the Ark followed closely, favored by 11 per cent of those surveyed.
Interestingly, the same percentage of respondents (11 per cent) mistakenly identified a New Testament story or book as their favorite part of the Old Testament. Additionally, 7 per cent of participants either could not name a favorite Old Testament story or said they had none, while 3 per cent admitted they did not know.
In total, only 79 per cent of respondents correctly identified an Old Testament story or book when asked about their favourite.
“While many churchgoers are familiar with the Bible, at least 1 in 5 may struggle with distinguishing between the Old and New Testaments” noted Scott McConnell, CEO of Lifeway Research, in a statement to The Christian Post. “This could be due to spending less time studying the Bible or relying on others to guide them through its teachings" he continued.
Other popular Old Testament stories and books identified by respondents include Genesis (10 per cent), David and Goliath (8 per cent), Adam and Eve (5 per cent), Job (4 per cent), Ruth (4 per cent), Joseph (3 per cent), Jonah (3 per cent), Daniel (3 per cent), Esther (2 per cent), Psalms (2 per cent), Cain and Abel (2 per cent), Abraham (1 per cent), Elijah (1 per cent), and Samson (1 per cent). Less than 1 per cent of respondents chose other stories or books as their favourite.
The survey also assessed churchgoers’ ability to recount or summarise well-known Bible stories from memory.
Regarding the story of David and Goliath, 34 per cent of respondents claimed they could tell it accurately, while 39 per cent admitted they could recount it but might miss some details. Another 23 per cent felt confident they could provide only a brief overview, and 3 per cent confessed they could not recount any part of it. Less than 1 per cent incorrectly stated that it was not a Bible story.
For the story of Noah’s Ark, 39 per cent believed they could tell it in full, and 43 per cent said they could tell most of it. 17 per cent felt they could only give a quick summary, and 1 per cent admitted they could not recall any of it, with less than 1 per cent failing to recognise it as a Bible story.
Confidence levels were lower for the story of Daniel and the Lion’s Den, with 24 per cent claiming they could recount the entire story accurately. Meanwhile, 39 per cent said they could tell most of it, 26 per cent could only provide an overview, and 1 per cent mistakenly thought it was not a Bible story.
“The fact that many churchgoers acknowledge uncertainty about key biblical stories highlights the need for ongoing Bible teaching in churches,” McConnell added. “While knowing every name in the Bible might not be crucial, the Christian faith places great importance on distinguishing biblical teachings from other voices, as Jesus declared He is the only way.”