July 29, 2023
At least two-thirds of the public believes in angels, heaven, the power of prayer, and that some things just can’t be explained by science or nature. Belief in angels (69%) and heaven (69%) is more widespread than belief in the devil (56%) or hell (58%).
Eighty-three percent of adults believe that there are things which science or nature cannot explain, roughly the same amount as believe in God or another higher power (79%). Eighty-six percent of adults who believe that there are things that science or nature cannot explain also believe in God or a higher power, while 14% do not. Among those who do not believe that there are things that science or nature cannot explain, 44% believe in God or a higher power.
Belief in karma and ghosts is fairly widespread and 42% believe that spiritual energy can be rooted in physical things like plants, rivers, or crystals.
About a third of adults believe in reincarnation, astrology, and yoga as a spiritual practice.
Just 6% don’t believe in any of the items asked about on the survey.
The nationwide poll was conducted May 11-15, 2023 using the AmeriSpeak® Panel, the probability-based panel of NORC at the University of Chicago. Online and telephone interviews using landlines and cell phones were conducted with 1,680 adults. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3.4 percentage points.
- Suggested citation: AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research (July 2023). “Belief in angels and heaven is more common than belief in the devil or hell.” https://apnorc.org/projects/belief-in-angels-and-heaven-is-more-common-than-belief-in-the-devil-or-hell/
