Major Results of the
Background to the Survey
Motti Inbari, professor of Jewish studies at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and Kirill Bumin, associate dean of Boston University Metropolitan College, conducted the survey.[1] It was carried out March 8–14, 2024, and included 2,033 self-identified American Christian adults.[2]
The Historical Deicide Charge
The deicide charge, an antisemitic notion claiming Jewish people are collectively responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus, is the cause of generations of antisemitism in Europe and even in the United States. It has almost no support among Christians in this survey.
The Survey Reports:
Only 8 percent of Christian respondents agree Jewish people are to blame for Jesus’ death, while 62 percent offer a spiritual explanation—they place the blame on “the sins of humanity” or see Jesus’ death as a part of “God’s plan.”
A Growing Interest in the Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith
Many churches take trips to Israel and have a growing interest in the Jewish background of the New Testament.
The Survey Reports:
Among respondents, 25 percent said their church celebrates Passover, and 16 percent said their church celebrates the Sabbath. Churches rarely celebrate other Jewish holidays, according to those polled.
Christian Beliefs and Practices
Among the survey respondents, there is unquestionably a greater affinity for Israel and Jewish people among American Christians who are most active in practicing their faith.
The Survey Reports:
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- 81 percent of respondents believe the Bible is the Word of God. However, the interpretation of this belief varies. While 43 percent advocate for a literal interpretation, 38 percent do not believe everything should be taken literally. This diversity of belief is evident across different Christian denominations, with most evangelicals (57 percent) leaning toward literalism, while a majority of Mainline Protestants (50 percent) and Catholics (42 percent) do not believe everything should be taken literally.
- The majority of self-identified Christians in America—56 percent—never or seldom attend church, while 28 percent attend every week.
- Evangelicals have the highest levels of church attendance (35 percent attend every week), while mainline Christians have the lowest (20 percent attend every week). In 2018, just a little more than half of evangelicals attended church weekly.[3] Today, the numbers show a drop of more than 15 percent.
Concern for Growing Antisemitism
Many Christians recognize the growth of antisemitism as a significant problem and want to stand with Jewish people against this rising tide of hatred.
The Survey Reports:
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- 87 percent of all respondents are concerned about antisemitism in America today, with only 12 percent not particularly worried by the current levels of antisemitism in the United States.
- 48 percent of respondents believe it is “definitely” antisemitic to say Israel does not have the right to exist, and another 14 percent believe such views are “to some extent”
- 28 percent said they do not know whether saying Israel has no right to exist is antisemitic. The remaining 10 percent believe this statement is not antisemitic.
- 78 percent of respondents have never heard of the BDS movement, while 9 percent support it and 13 percent oppose it.[4]
- 42 percent of Christians disagree entirely with claiming “all Jews” are responsible for Israeli actions in the West Bank and Gaza today. Another 23 percent express significant disagreement.
- 35 percent believe Jewish Americans are more loyal to Israel than to the United States (known as the dual loyalty antisemitic trope).
- 25 percent of respondents believe “Jews still talk too much about what happened to them in the Holocaust.”
University Campuses
The uproar caused by pro-Hamas rallies and encampments at major universities gives the impression these actions enjoy widespread approval. However, this is not the case among Christians who, by and large, criticize the behavior on many campuses across the United States.
The Survey Reports:
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- 43 percent of respondents believe top American universities either tolerate antisemitism “to some extent,” or tolerate antisemitism “quite a lot,” while 13 percent believe these universities do not tolerate antisemitism.
- Among those who think “top American universities” tolerate some degree of antisemitism, 74 percent believe these universities “actively promote”
The War in Gaza
Christians in the survey are concerned for suffering Israelis due to the horrific initiatives taken by Hamas on October 7 and the incessant rocket fire for months into noncombatant areas of the Holy Land. At the same time, Christians are also deeply concerned for Palestinians suffering at the hands of Hamas.
The Survey Reports:
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- 49 percent of respondents blame “mostly Hamas” for the current war; only 8 percent ascribe blame to “mostly Israel;” 39 percent blame to “both sides equally;” and 4 percent blame “someone else.”
- 45 percent of Christians see the Israeli response to the October 7, 2023, attacks by Hamas as “mostly justified;” 36 percent see Israeli action as “partially justified;” while 19 percent see Israel’s response as largely or “mostly unjustified.” By contrast, only 11 percent see Hamas’ attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and its subsequent war with Israel as “mostly justified.”
- 29 percent say their church prays for Israel, while 17 percent say their church prays for the Palestinians. 5 percent say their church sends money to Israel, while 3 percent say their church sends money to the Palestinians.
- When asked to select the top reason for supporting Israel among seven potential reasons, 51 percent of the respondents select the most common argument as the “Israelis have a right to defend and protect their state.” The second most common argument (33 percent) is “Israel is the historic Jewish homeland.”
- 25 percent say it is “probably true” Israel committed a genocide in the recent fighting in Gaza, while 41 percent say it is “probably false,” and another 34 percent say they do not know. When asked if Israel deliberately targets Palestinian civilians, 19 percent said it is “probably true” while 51 percent said it is “probably false.”
Israel Today
The concerns of Christians about the State of Israel as a political entity is slightly different than concerns about antisemitism. This debate is more controversial, and Christians are somewhat divided on the subject of modern Israel. Yet, over the years we have seen a steady attitude of support for Israel even during the current crisis when so many Western nations are vocal in their criticisms of the Jewish state.
The Survey Reports:
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- Most respondents support Israel over the Palestinians in their assessments of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: 40 percent say they support Israel, while 8 percent support the Palestinians; 19 percent support neither; 13 percent support both; and 20 percent do not know who they support.
- Evangelical respondents express the highest levels of support for Israel, with 47 percent saying they either “very strongly” support Israel (23 percent), “support” Israel (13 percent), or “lean toward supporting” Israel (11 percent), while the lowest levels of support for Israel are observed among Catholics (32 percent). 42 percent of Mainline Protestants support Israel.
- 48 percent of all respondents believe God’s covenant with Jewish people remains intact today, while 39 percent say they do not know, 7 percent say the covenant has ended, and 6 percent say the covenant never existed. The largest support for the belief the covenant remains intact today is among evangelicals (58 percent), while the lowest is among Catholics (38 percent). 45 percent of Mainline Protestants believe God’s covenant with Jewish people is still intact.
- 48 percent of all respondents also believe “Jewish people have the right to the land of Israel by virtue of the covenant God made with Abraham,” 37 percent say they do not know, and 15 percent disagree the Abrahamic covenant grants Jewish people the right to the land of Israel.
- Of those who support Israel’s right to the land on the basis of the Abrahamic covenant (977 respondents out of 2,033), 62 percent agree Israel’s right to the land extends to the biblical borders “from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates” (Genesis 15:18).
A Summary of the Major Findings
- A belief “God’s covenant with the Jewish people remains intact today” is the single biggest reason most Christians support Israel. Those who see God’s covenant with Abraham as still valid were 180 percent more favorable toward Israel than those who did not hold this belief.
- The second most influential justification for support of Israel among our respondents was a belief “Jews need a state of their own after the Holocaust.” Those who expressed this view were 122 percent more likely to strongly support Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- The third most impactful reason for support of Israel is a belief “Israel is the United States’ closest ally in an unstable region.” Such belief increases the likelihood of support for Israel by 95.3 percent.
- Age is the fourth most impactful consideration in whether Christians support Israel. The younger respondents are, as a group, less supportive of Israel, while 50–64-year-old respondents are repeatedly the most pro-Israel age group.
- 50–64-year-old respondents were unexpectedly the most supportive of Israel. Even in comparison to the 65-and-older respondents, 50–64-year-old respondents are 64.5 percent more likely to express high levels of support for Israel.
- Respondents under the age of 30 are 47 percent less likely to express strong support for Israel than 65-plus respondents.
- African-American respondents are 59.6 percent less likely to express support for Israel than respondents with other racial and ethnic backgrounds.
- A belief in a future literal kingdom with Jerusalem as the national and spiritual capital of Israel and God’s kingdom on earth increases the likelihood of strong support for Israel by 82.7 percent.
- Conservative political beliefs increase the likelihood of strong support for Israel by 27.7 percent.
- Support for the two-state solution reduces the likelihood of strong support for Israel by 20.7 percent.
- Strong concern about antisemitism in the United States increases the likelihood of strong support for Israel by 12.5 percent.
[1] The survey had a ±2.2 margin of error.
[2] Majority funding for the survey was provided by Chosen People Ministries, the Alliance for the Peace of Jerusalem, and by Jewish people and Christians who seek a better understanding of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and are concerned with the rising tide of antisemitism today.
[3] Motti Inbari and Kirill Bumin, Christian Zionism in the Twenty-First Century: Evangelical Public Opinion on Israel (New York: Oxford University Press, 2024), 30.
[4] The BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) movement delegitimizes Israel by calling on all to boycott Israeli companies and products. BDS supporters often oppose and intimidate Israeli academics who teach at American universities.
