By Bob Allen
Nearly three-fourths of U.S. adults (73 percent) expressed belief in the Virgin Birth in a Pew Research poll released Dec. 15 indicating that most Americans believe the Christmas stories in the Bible are historically true.
Similar numbers (75 percent) said they believe wise men guided by a star brought the infant Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh and that angels announced the birth of Jesus to shepherds (74 percent). Four in five (81 percent) believe the Baby Jesus was laid in a manger.
Two-thirds (65 percent) said they believe in all four elements of the Christmas story, while 22 percent believe some elements but not all. Belief ran highest among evangelical Christians and lowest among the religious “nones,” who are split about 50/50 on the historicity of any element of the Nativity story.
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, said in a podcast Dec. 16 the poll indicates “there is still a deep commitment to the Christian worldview that becomes apparent even amongst those Americans who are not confessing believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.”