Religion: Three in One

I believe in God the Father Almighty . . . And in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord . . . I believe in the Holy Ghost. . .

Thus the Apostles' Creed states the orthodox Christian concept of God. In this untheological age, how many Americans believe in the doctrine of the Trinity?

The answer, according to a survey of U.S. adults (including Jews), published in the current issue of the Catholic Digest, is a surprising 89%. This is only 10% less than the number who believe in God, according to another Digest survey published last November. "Some persons," comments the Digest, "might have been inclined to play down the significance of the first report. . . because of the variety of meanings that might be attached to the name God. But they would have a hard time trying to discount the fact that nearly 90% of them state a definite belief as to exactly what God is . . ."

Ninety-eight percent of those who gave their "religious preference" as Catholicism said they believed in the Trinity. Baptists were a close second, with 95%. Then came Lutherans 93%, Methodists 90, Presbyterians and Episcopalians 89%. The combined percentage for all Protestants in the survey: 91%.