God
God is the singular deity worshiped in the monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, collectively known as the Abrahamic faiths. In these traditions, God is often viewed as the omnipotent creator of the universe and is associated with overarching themes of morality and purpose. Within Judaism, God is seen as the liberator of the Israelites and the giver of the law, whereas in Christianity, God is believed to have revealed Himself through Jesus Christ, whose life and resurrection offer salvation to believers. Islam shares the belief in one God, referred to as Allah, and emphasizes submission to His will, viewing Muhammad as His final prophet rather than a deity.
The concept of God has been a focal point for various disciplines, including theology, philosophy, and sociology, particularly in Western cultures. While belief in God remains significant in American society, recent surveys indicate a decline in the number of individuals identifying as believers, prompting diverse interpretations of its implications on morals and societal values. This shift has sparked ongoing cultural debates, particularly regarding topics like education and science. Despite a growing secular trend, the understanding and belief in God continue to shape social and political discourse, illustrating the complex role that faith plays in contemporary life.
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God
God is the sole deity worshiped in the monotheistic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, known collectively as the “Abrahamic faiths.” Within Judeo-Christian theology, God represents the “alpha and omega” (the beginning and the end) and is the supreme all-powerful being responsible for the creation of the universe. As described in the Nicene Creed, God is “the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is seen and unseen.”
God (as well as society’s belief in God) has long been a topic of great interest among philosophers, theologians, sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, and the media in Western societies. A person who believes in God or gods, even if he or she does not necessarily accept the scriptures as literal truth, is a theist, while a deist believes that God created the universe but does not intervene in human affairs or the laws of nature. Someone who does not believe in the existence of God is an atheist. A person who is uncertain as to whether or not God exists is agnostic. The number of Americans identifying as atheist or agnostic has increased; nonetheless, belief in God remains a powerful component of American culture, as well as the nation’s social and political life.
Background
According to Genesis, God created the universe over the span of six days and then rested on the seventh day. Humankind was God’s ultimate creation; God created Adam, the first man, from the dirt and dust of the earth and then breathed life into him. Later, God took one of Adam’s rib bones, from which he created Eve, the first woman, to provide Adam with a wife. (An alternate creation story in Genesis states that God created humankind, male and female, simultaneously.) Genesis also relays that a serpent (the devil in disguise) deceived Adam and Eve into defying God’s orders not to eat fruit from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden. This disobedience angered God, who punished Adam and Eve—as well as their offspring and, thus, the entire human race—with death, lives of hard physical labor, and painful childbirth for women.
Although God is central to both Judaism and Christianity, these two religious traditions differ in their relationship to God. Within Judaism, God led the ancient Israelites out of slavery in Egypt and later formed a covenant with them, symbolized by God’s presentation of the Jewish law (including the Ten Commandments) to Moses on Mount Sinai. Within Christianity, God revealed himself to humankind in the form of his son, Jesus Christ. Christians believe that Jesus was crucified and then resurrected to absolve humankind of its wrongdoings, or sins; Christians also believe that God offers salvation (eternity in heaven) to persons who both believe Jesus died on the cross for their sins and seek repentance. Most Christian sects, including Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, and the majority of Protestant denominations, believe in the concept of the Trinity—a godhead comprising Jesus Christ, God the Father, and the Holy Spirit.
Many Muslims, adherents of Islam, state that they worship the same deity as Jews and Christians (Allah means “God” in the Arabic language). Some Christians—particularly evangelical Christians—dispute this notion on the grounds that Islam considers Jesus to be merely a prophet. Resistance among Christians to the idea that Muslims worship the same God may also stem from a common misunderstanding among many non-Muslims that Muslims worship Muhammad. In reality, Islam considers Muhammad to be Allah’s final prophet, not a deity. Islam views Allah as the all-powerful, all-merciful creator to whom believers must submit. Along with Judaism and Christianity, Islam is considered one of the three Abrahamic faiths among scholars of religious studies.
Impact
Many social and religious conservatives often refer to the United States as a “Christian nation” and describe the country as being based, either in whole or in part, on Judeo-Christian principles and ideals. The characterization of the United States as a “Christian nation” is a contested and disputed notion, but the vigor with which proponents of this idea defend it illustrates the social and political importance that the concept of God plays in American society.
Although belief in God remains strong among Americans, this belief is declining. A 2013 Gallup poll revealed that 87 percent of Americans expressed a belief in God. This number was down from 92 percent in 2011. By 2022, Gallup reported Americans' belief in God had dropped to a new low at 81 percent. Americans interpret this declining belief in God, as well as its subsequent implications for society, differently. Social and religious conservatives often lament this shift as symbolic of creeping secularism and a declining standard of traditional morality in American society, while some progressives and nonreligious Americans perceive this shift as reflective of growing rationalization and tolerance in the United States. The discrepancy is just one dimension of the bitterly contested “culture wars” that have gained prominent media attention across the nation since the early 1990s.
Nevertheless, religiosity—including belief in God—remains deeply important to many Americans and often plays a significant role in social and political debates. One such example is the controversy surrounding the teaching of evolution in public high school science classes. Public opinion polls have consistently revealed that between one-third and one-half of adults in the United States reject the theory of evolution. This opposition is not rooted in scientific disagreement among the public; rather, it is based on the fact that the concept of evolution omits any reference to God in its explanation of the natural history of life on the earth. Despite the trend toward secularization in the United States and Europe, the concept of God remains an important topic throughout modern culture.
Bibliography
Chaves, Mark. American Religion: Contemporary Trends. Princeton UP, 2011.
Dawkins, Richard. The God Delusion. Houghton, 2008.
Haught, John F. God after Darwin: A Theology of Evolution. 2nd ed. Westview, 2008.
Hitchens, Christopher. God Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything. Hachette, 2009.
Hughes, Aaron W. Abrahamic Religions: On the Uses and Abuses of History. Oxford UP, 2012.
Jones, Jeffrey M. "Belief in God in U.S. Dips to 81%, a New Low." Gallup, 17 June 2022, news.gallup.com/poll/393737/belief-god-dips-new-low.aspx. Accessed 27 Nov. 2024.
McFaul, Thomas R., and Al Brunsting. God Is Here to Stay: Science, Evolution, and Belief in God. Wipf, 2014.