American Bible Society today released the seventh chapter of its 16th annual State of the Bible report, which details Americans’ experiences with the supernatural. Respondents report their belief in God, heaven, hell, Satan, angels and demons, along with biblical miracles and personal supernatural experiences. The seventh chapter of State of the Bible: USA 2026 is now available to download at StateoftheBible.org.

“Most of our neighbors sense that our lives are more than a material existence. They have a sense of the supernatural and are seeking answers to their questions in diverse ways, whether that means engaging in mainstream religious practices or diverging from them,” said Dr. John Farquhar Plake, American Bible Society’s Chief Innovation Officer and editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible series. “The Bible helps us understand how the natural world and the supernatural world are connected, and it’s our responsibility to help our fellow Americans open the Bible and experience a life-changing encounter with God.”

State of the Bible findings come from a nationally representative survey designed by American Bible Society and fielded by NORC at the University of Chicago, using their AmeriSpeak panel. Responses came from 2,649 online and phone interviews with American adults in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data were collected from January 8–27, 2026.

Key findings analyzed in Chapter 7: The Supernatural

  • A majority of Americans report believing in God, with only about one in eight saying they do not. Slightly more than half of Americans believe in Satan, hell and demons (55%, 53% and 51%, respectively) (page 2).
  • Younger Gen Z members (ages 21 or younger) report higher levels of belief in God than older Gen Z do (ages 22-29) (page 3).
  • Belief in God sharply declines with more education. 74% of people with only a high school diploma report belief in God, while only 58% with post-graduate study or professional degrees reporting the same (page 6).
    • Belief in demons reveals an even greater decline (59% vs. 37%).
  • 53% of Americans report at least somewhat believing in Jesus’ resurrection, with 75% of Casual Christians reporting the same. 49% of Americans affirm the Virgin Birth (pages 9-10).
  • Nearly half of all Americans have experienced miraculous answers to prayer, with about a third having witnessed or experienced divine healing and more than a quarter reporting spiritual attack (page 12).
    • Of those who reported spiritual attack, 74% said they turn to prayer, while only 15% reported they meditate on or quote Scripture (page 15).

In November, one final chapter in this year’s State of the Bible series will be released. The next chapter includes findings on contributory love and generosity.

To download the seventh chapter of State of the Bible 2026, visit StateoftheBible.org.

*State of the Bible includes definitions of Scripture Engagement, Bible Use (active and occasional users), Movable Middle, Nones, and other key terms on their website.