Readers Speak Out

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One thing is sure from the results of our reader survey: BAR readers are independent-minded people. They pick and choose, making up their own minds. But, as attested by the fact that they continue to subscribe, they like to read and sift arguments even when they disagree. And they are not overly impressed with the conclusions of so-called experts.

All the above is reflected in the answers to BAR’s 20th-anniversary reader survey.

Over half (54 percent) of our more than 8,000 respondents believe that Israel emerged in the Promised Land just as the Bible describes it—as the result of a military conquest. Less than two percent said the emergence of Israel was the result of a social revolution of Canaanite peasants, which is the prevailing theory among modern critical scholars. But close to 40 percent said Israel came about through a combination of conquest, social revolution and peaceful infiltration—a sensible judgment.

Perhaps most of those who favored the military-conquest model also stated that they believe in the literal truth of the Bible (42 percent said they do; over 50 percent said they do not).

The overwhelming majority of readers (88 percent) said they believe in God—far more than the 42 percent who believe in the literal truth of the Bible. (5.6 percent said they do not believe in God and about the same percent said they don’t know.)

While almost 9 out of 10 readers believe in God, only 2 out of 3 believe in the Virgin Birth.

Over half our readers (54.2 percent) said reading BAR strengthened their faith. Practically none said it diminished their faith. So reading articles that sometimes question the literal truth of the Bible does not seem to have adversely affected anyone’s faith. On the contrary, half our readers said it reinforced their faith, presumably by arming it with a broader vision and new perspectives. (43 percent of our readers, however, said BAR had no effect on their faith.)

Almost everyone—9 out of 10—said that reading BAR significantly deepened their understanding of the Bible.

How do the opinions of BAR readers compare with those of our academic experts?

According to 9 out of 10 of our readers, archaeologists should excavate human bones. In this they agree with almost all professional archaeologists.

More than 30 percent think that Noah’s Ark is on Mt. Ararat. Few archaeologists would share that opinion: Most would agree with those of our readers (29 percent) who say the big boat isn’t up there. But the largest group (39 percent) said they “don’t know.”

A surprising 26 percent of our readers believe the aim of archaeology should be to prove the truth of the Bible. Almost no professional archaeologists share that view. Indeed, that view is anathema to them. They overwhelmingly agree with the 70 percent of BAR readers who voted “no” on this one.

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Who is the most interesting man in the Hebrew Bible?

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Who is the most interesting woman in the Hebrew Bible?

How has reading BAR influenced your faith?

Should the aim of archaeology be to prove the Bible?

Has reading BAR significantly deepened your understanding of the Bible?

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Do you believe in God?

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Do you believe Noah’s Ark is on Mt. Ararat?

Do you believe Israel emerged in the Promised Land as a result of:

Do you believe in the literal truth of the Bible?

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Do you believe in the Virgin Birth?

Should archaeologists excavate human bones?

Which site would you like most to visit, after Jerusalem?

One thing is sure from the results of our reader survey: BAR readers are independent-minded people. They pick and choose, making up their own minds. But, as attested by the fact that they continue to subscribe, they like to read and sift arguments even when they disagree. And they are not overly impressed with the conclusions of so-called experts.