New Poll shows what Americans believe on Heaven and Hell

Many Americans have a concept of both terms yet do not regularly think about either. In our postmodern society theological concepts are generally not explored, misconstrued, or misunderstood. For example, many Christians today hold the idea of theological inclusivism, which is the idea that differing beliefs are both true at the same time i.e., that all beliefs are equally valid within a believer’s particular context.

This belief which is supported by at least a quarter of evangelicals, protestants and the majority of Catholics even though it runs counter to biblical liturgy and is in stark contrast to the law of non-contradiction.

There was also an interesting dichotomy found when looking at Americans beliefs on the issue of externality. Pew research found that “many Americans believe in an afterlife where suffering either ends entirely or continues in perpetuity.”

The survey which was done on 6,485 American adults including 1,421 self-identified evangelicals in September of 2021. It asked about their views on heaven, hell, reincarnation, fate, prayer, and other religious matters.

The vast majority of those who believe in heaven, say they believe that heaven is “definitely” or “probably” a place where people are free from suffering [69%], are reunited with loved ones who died previously [65%], can meet God [62%], and have perfectly healthy bodies [60%]. And about half of all Americans … view hell as a place where people experience psychological and physical suffering [53%] and become aware of the suffering they created in the world [51%]. A similar share of people say that people in hell cannot have a relationship with God [49%].

Four in 10 Americans believe those in hell definitely or probably can meet Satan.
Meanwhile on the fate of nonbelievers, Pew found support for inclusivism among Catholics was “far more likely” than among Protestants (68% vs. 34%), and especially evangelicals (21%).

This idea of inclusivism has spread so far that 61 percent of Catholics believe a non-Christian who is not following Jesus Christ as their savior can get to heaven apart from the grace or salvation of Christ. Which is “fundamental” tenant of the Christian religion.

One of the interesting developments of this poll was that while most Americans believed in a literal heaven as the Bible says. Many believe not in a literal hell, but a hell of people. The idea that hell is not a real place but the construct of our reality now made by our environment or other people.