Nearly 53 million Latinos live in America and represent the
nation’s largest ethnic minority. Where do they stand on issues of immigration,
language, worship and work? A new study— Barna:
Hispanics— finds out.

The study—a collaboration among American Bible Society, the National
Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, OneHope and Barna Group—shows that Hispanics
agree on the importance of successfully integrating into America. But various
factors, including language and work, have a bearing on that success.

We’ve culled the research and deliver our top 5 findings:

  1. Most Hispanics living in the United States have
    been here for a while—on average, 25 years. Seven out of 10—are legal, U.S.
    residents.
  2. Speaking English is critical to long-term
    success in America. In the survey, respondents had the option to answer in
    either English or Spanish. Most chose English, and nearly half (48 percent)
    said they were bilingual. Those who responded in Spanish were much less fluent
    in English. Nearly half (47 percent) said they spoke English “just a little.”
  3. Church is the one institution that offers
    Hispanics the chance to participate in their first language. Surprisingly, though,
    nearly 32 percent said they preferred to attend services in English vs. 25
    percent who preferred Spanish-only services. Forty-three percent prefer
    bilingual worship.
  4. Work ethic is a key facet of Hispanic identity.
    In fact, 24 percent named it the second greatest contribution to American
    society, following commitment to family, (36 percent).
  5. Hispanics see social value in their work. More than
    two-thirds—69 percent—agree that their work helps make the world a better
    place. This number is slightly higher among Catholics (72 percent) than it is
    among people who claim no faith or are not Christian (58 percent).

Although these survey results show consensus on some key
issues, Hispanics are a diverse group of cultures, said Clint Jenkin, vice
president of research at Barna Group.

“When we dig into the data, we find diverse attitudes and
behaviors that reflect this complexity,” said Jenkin. Language preference,
nation of origin and acculturation levels all influence how Hispanics engage
with broader American culture.

For more information on the study, visit Barna’s
website.