As a side note, this does not mean church attendance has remained steady. Surveys continue to indicate that people (especially the millennial generation) are less willing to associate themselves with "institutions" or "organized religion." It seems for many claiming to be Christians, they have no regard for the body of Christ--the Church. I suppose, however, that's a topic for another blog.
The other interesting--almost bewildering--stat to come out of that report was that 75% of Americans think that many religions lead to eternal life. Now, I'm not very good at math, but you don't have to be to realize that if 75% of folks think many religions lead to eternal life and 80% claim to be Christians then there is a lot of overlap in those two numbers. It appears a sizable majority of those claiming to be Christians believe there are many paths to everlasting bliss.
Now I didn't see how the questions were framed. It may be that some are simply indicating that their "denomination" isn't the only way to heaven. Though I really don't think the Pew folks (they are quite reputable) would be so sloppy in how they worded their questions. So, what does this poll data tell us? Quite frankly, that a lot of those claiming to be Christians don't even know what being a Christian means.
Christianity by definition is to believe and follow Jesus as Lord of all. It necessarily means and is, in fact, a commitment to the tenet that Jesus is the only way to God (and the heaven that comes with it). This doesn't mean that God couldn't save people who were totally ignorant of the gospel. God can save whom he pleases and how that applies to those who have never heard the gospel is a different discussion. To openly profess to be a Christian and then suggest that Christianity is one of many paths to God is a contradiction in terms. It is kind of like saying you love to sail, but hate the water. It doesn't make any sense.
This kind of gap in logical coherence is usually attributed to our post-modern culture and the idolization of tolerance as its chief virtue. Undoubtedly, this is a huge factor. But the scandal of particularity goes further back than then latest cultural phenomenon. God revealed himself particularly to the Jews and then particularly through Jesus. Much of Roman culture characterized early Christians as atheists, because they rejected the Greek/Roman gods in favor of the confession that "Jesus is Lord."
It seems that many in our culture want to have it both ways. They want Jesus as a convenient Savior, but post-modern toleration (pluralism) as Lord. The Christian confession is and always will be that Jesus is Lord. For those that claim to be Christians, but reject the exclusive nature of Christianity's claim, it seems they have a choice to make. Either they will serve the cultural gods of pluralism, relativism, and toleration, or they will serve Jesus as Lord. "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Josh. 24:15).
