NATIONWIDE RESEARCH AT A GLANCE
June 2017
Christian Radio Listeners Perceptions of Moral Truth
A new, deeper track in our research this month: we asked Christian radio listeners across the US about their perceptions of Moral Truth. Is it absolute, relative or have you never thought about it? Here are their responses, compared to Christians nationwide as surveyed by Barna.
| Answer | Christian Radio Listeners | Christians Nationwide* |
| Moral truth is absolute | 75% | 59% |
| Moral truth is relative | 13% | 28% |
| Never thought about it | 13% | 14% |
We’ve all heard that the moral fabric of our world is fraying. What was accepted as true 50 years ago cannot be assumed among people in 2017.
From Barna Research: “Christian morality is being ushered out of our social structures and off the cultural main stage, leaving a vacuum in its place – and broader culture is trying to fill the void. There is growing concern about the moral condition of the nation, even as many US adults admit they are uncertain about how to determine right from wrong.”1
So here’s what we wondered. If Christians nationwide are “squishy” in their theology, how are Christian radio listeners different? And how do we need to change what we do to better communicate the Truth to current listeners to our radio stations or programs or to prospective listeners? This edition of Finney’s Fast Five is the first in a series examining these questions.
Our first question is about Moral Truth. As you can see in the table above, Christian radio listeners agree that they believe that “Moral Truth is absolute” in higher numbers than Christians nationwide. About 75% either Completely Agree of Somewhat Agree.
But that leaves 25% of your listeners who believe either “Moral Truth is relative” or “Never Thought About It”.
Moral Truth is absolute. But a quarter of your listeners don’t agree.
And the question is what do we do if what we’re hoping for is more hearts, more deeply?
“Dear friends, I urge you, as foreigners and exiles, to abstain from sinful desires, which wage ware against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us.” 1 Peter 2:11-12
Coming in Finney’s Fast Five for July: we continue our series on Christian radio listeners’ beliefs with a series of Agree/Disagree statements like “The highest goal of life is to enjoy it as much as possible.” The answers are again sobering . . . or encouraging . . . depending on your perspective.
*Barna Survey of “Practicing Christians” nationwide 2015
1 Barna Trends 2017, p. 50
