Americans Don't Just Believe In God, But In Particular Versions Of God

It’s a given that most Americans believe in God. But that’s just the beginning of understanding what sort of deity they envision and how this shapes their outlook on life. A survey commissioned by Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion takes a more revealing look at the topic.

The extensive survey included 29 questions about “God’s character and behavior,” and then used the answers to match each respondent with one of four Gods. A plurality (31 percent) voiced belief in an Authoritarian God—one “highly involved in their daily lives and world affairs” and “quite angry,” capable of “meting out punishment to those who are unfaithful or ungodly.”