Two in five people in the United States believe that humanity is living in the biblical end of days.
According to a new survey by the Pew Research Center, 39% of Americans agree that "we are living in the end times." Overall, 58% disagreed.
"Periods of catastrophe and anxiety, such as the coronavirus pandemic, have historically led some people to anticipate that the destruction of the world as we know it – the 'end times' – is near," the survey says.
Christians are divided on the question, with 47% saying we are living in the end times, including majorities in the historically Black (76%) and evangelical (63%) Protestant traditions. Meanwhile, 49% of Christians say we are not, including 70% of Catholics and 65% of mainline Protestants.
Viewed more broadly, the poll shows the share of Protestants who say we are living in the end times is greater than the corresponding share among Catholics (55% vs. 27%).
Only about 3 in 10 people from non-Christian religions and those with no religious affiliation say we are living in the end times.
According to the survey, Black Americans (68%) are much more likely than Hispanic (41%), White (34%) and Asian (33%) Americans to believe humanity is living in the end times. Adults in Southern states (48%) are also more likely to say this than those living in the Midwest (37%), Northeast (34%) or West (31%).
Whether or not Jesus Christ will return in the end, in what is often called the "second coming," is still up for debate.
When asked if Jesus "will return to Earth someday," the poll shows 55% of all U.S. adults say this will happen. Protestants in the evangelical (92%) and historically Black (86%) traditions are more likely than other Christians to say this. On the other hand, roughly 4 in 10 Americans either do not believe Jesus will return to Earth (25%) or say they do not believe in Jesus (16%), the survey shows.
Of those who believe Jesus will return to Earth, 1 in 10 Americans say they believe the second coming will definitely or probably occur during their lifetime, 27% are not sure if it will happen in their lifetime, and 19% say it will definitely or probably not occur during their lifetime.
"That said, in all religious groups, people are more likely to express uncertainty over the timing of Jesus' return than to express the sense that it will happen in their lifetime," the poll noted.
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