Shepherds Without Scripture: What Do Today’s Pastors Really Believe?

When was the last time you asked your pastor what they actually believe?

Not about their favorite worship songs or denominational affiliation--but about the bedrock truths of the Christian faith. Do they believe the Bible is the inerrant Word of God? Do they preach the reality of Hell? Are they convinced that Adam and Eve were real people and not just symbolic figures in a myth?

These are not fringe questions. They strike at the heart of the Gospel. And yet, startling new data shows that many clergy--those tasked with leading God's people--are uncertain, conflicted, or in outright disagreement with Scripture on these core doctrines.

With leaders like this, is it any wonder that so many in the pews no longer know what they believe?

Let's begin with a foundational question: Did Adam and Eve actually exist as real, historical people?

Shockingly, only 25% of Catholic priests and Mainline Protestant pastors say they "definitely believe" Adam and Eve were real. Compare that with 80% of Evangelical pastors and 89% of black Protestant clergy.

In other words, three out of four leaders in some traditions reject or seriously question the literal Genesis account. That's not theological diversity--that's a spiritual crisis. 

If Adam and Eve were not real, then what do we do with the Fall, original sin, and our need for redemption? These leaders aren't just shaving off theological edges--they're ripping up the foundation of the Gospel.

And this theological drift only deepens the more you look.

93% of Evangelical pastors affirm the reality of Hell. But that drops to 70% for Catholic priests, and an alarming 45% among Mainline Protestant leaders.

Belief in miraculous healing is strong among Evangelicals (84%) and Catholics (78%), but dips to just 47% for Mainline clergy.

When asked about God's existence, 98% of Evangelical pastors and 89% of black Protestant leaders say they are completely certain. Catholic clergy clock in at 85%, but Mainline Protestants? Just 70% express full confidence, and 26% openly admit to doubts about God's existence.

Let that sink in: One in four Mainline clergy doubt the existence of God. These aren't fringe bloggers or deconstructing TikTok influencers. These are the men standing behind pulpits every week.

If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?

Nowhere is the erosion of truth more evident than in what pastors believe about the Bible itself. According to the National Survey of Religious Leaders, across Christian clergy, there are two dominant views:

The Bible is inspired and without error, though some parts are symbolic.

The Bible is inspired, but contains historical and cultural errors that don't apply today.

Among Evangelical and black Protestant pastors, the majority--70% and 67% respectively--affirmed the view: the Bible is inspired and free of error, though some parts are symbolic. 

But that confidence collapses among other groups.

Among Catholic priests, only half affirm the inerrant Word of God. The other half believe the Bible contains culturally outdated or inaccurate material. Among Mainline Protestant clergy, a staggering 70% held that view--that Scripture is inspired but historically flawed.

Let's not sugarcoat this: These pastors are not submitting to God's Word; they're sitting in judgment over it. They believe the Bible can inspire but not instruct. They quote Jesus, but question Paul. They cherry-pick verses and reinterpret commandments, all while claiming spiritual authority.

This isn't merely a different "interpretive lens." It's theological rot. And it's spreading through seminaries, pulpits, and youth ministries like wildfire.

If you think this is just a Mainline or Catholic problem, think again. A study from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University found that only 37% of Christian pastors across America hold a biblical worldview.

That means nearly two-thirds--62%--have adopted a hybrid belief system the researchers call Syncretism--a blend of Christianity, secular psychology, progressive politics, and pop spirituality.

Worse still, when the data is broken down by pastoral roles:

41% of senior pastors held a biblical worldview.

28% of associate pastors.

13% of teaching pastors.

Just 12% of youth and children's pastors.

Let that last number sink in. The leaders shaping your children's view of God are the least likely to believe the Bible is true.

What hope do our families have if we can't trust those charged with discipling the next generation? These aren't mild doctrinal disagreements. They are full-scale departures from the faith once delivered to the saints.

The researchers didn't mince words: "Spiritual renewal is needed just as desperately in our pulpits as in the pews."

Some differences among Christians are natural and even healthy--worship style, church governance, or views on non-salvation issues. But this? This is a full-scale collapse of biblical Christianity.

These aren't harmless "different perspectives." They are denials of truth. If your pastor doesn't believe in a real Adam, a real Hell, or the real authority of Scripture--they are not preaching the Gospel.

Church, we must wake up. The sheep are being led by wolves in robes. Sound doctrine is not optional--it is essential. And in a world starving for truth, we cannot afford to remain silent while leaders distort it.

As Paul warned in 2 Timothy 4:3-4:

"For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, will multiply teachers for themselves... and will turn away from hearing the truth and will turn aside to myths."

That time isn't coming. It's here.

And it's in the pulpit.

So ask the question--before it's too late: Do you know what your pastor believes?