68% of Americans Say You Don't Need God to Be Moral: What the Church Must Know

Record 68% of Americans Now Believe You Don't Need God to Be Moral

A record 68% of American adults now say that believing in God is not necessary to be moral and have good values, according to new data from the Pew Research Center published in March 2026.

The survey, which polled 3,605 American adults from March 24 to 30, 2025, marks the highest percentage recorded since Pew first asked the question in 2002. The question has been asked 18 times over the past two decades.

From 2002 through 2011, Americans were roughly split on the issue. Starting in 2014, a majority began saying belief in God was not necessary for morality. Since 2020, about two thirds of U.S. adults have held that position.

There is "a strong correlation between believing in God and saying that belief in God is necessary to be moral."

That observation came from Jonathan Evans, a senior researcher at Pew, who noted that those who already do not believe in God are most likely to say belief is unnecessary for moral living.

The survey also examined 24 additional countries. Large majorities in Kenya (94%), India (85%), and South Africa (80%) said belief in God is necessary for morality. In Indonesia, 96% of adults have consistently linked belief in God to morality across all five surveys since 2007.

Meanwhile, significant majorities in European nations agreed with the American trend, saying belief in God is not necessary for good values. Germany saw a 16 percentage point drop in just three years, from 37% in 2022 to 21% in 2025.

The findings come alongside other indicators of religious decline. Religious "nones" have reached record levels, and only 47% of American adults now say religion is "very important" in their lives, down from 70 to 75% in the 1950s and 60s and 58% in 2012.

New Pew Survey Reveals Majority of Americans Reject Link Between God and Morality

The generational divide is stark. Among the Greatest Generation, three quarters stated they knew God existed without any doubts. Only a third of Gen Z holds the same conviction. Young adults report attending religious services less often than older adults, and fewer identify as Christians compared to previous generations.

The Crusader's Opinion

Let me be blunt. A nation that convinces itself it can define right and wrong without the God who created right and wrong is a nation building its house on sand. The same culture that says it doesn't need God for morality also celebrates abortion as healthcare, calls evil good, and can't even define what a man or a woman is. The moral confusion on display in these numbers isn't proof that people can be moral without God. It's proof of what happens when they try. Without an absolute standard, "morality" becomes whatever the latest poll says it is. That is not morality. That is mob rule dressed up in philosophy.

Take Action

• Pray for spiritual revival across America and the Western world. Gather your church community for intentional prayer nights focused on national repentance and renewal.
• Share the Gospel boldly in your daily life. If 68% of Americans think God is irrelevant to morality, they need to hear from the 32% who know He is not.
• Support Christian apologetics ministries that equip believers to defend the faith in the public square, such as Reasonable Faith and Stand to Reason.
• Invest in the next generation. Volunteer with your church's youth ministry or support organizations like The Shepherd's Shield that protect and disciple young believers.
• Engage your local school board and community leaders on issues of religious liberty and the role of faith in public life. Show up. Speak up.