Jesus Birth- American Beliefs

Was Jesus born to a virgin?

Did Jesus exist as God or the Son of God before he was born?

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2021

According to Lifeway Research in 2021, most Americans (72%) believe Jesus was born in Bethlehem more than 2,000 years ago.

In a related response, less than half believe the Son of God existed before Jesus was born in Bethlehem (41%).

The responses are different for Christians.

Christians who attend church at least four times a month affirm Jesus is the Son of God the Father (98%) and was born in Bethlehem (95%). Only 63% believe the Son of God existed before Jesus was born.

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2017

Pew Research Data from 2017 reveal a change in American beliefs about the virgin birth and other elements in the birth narrative. Still more than half of Americans (57%) endorse belief in all four elements listed.

Jesus born to a virgin 66%

> laid in a manger 75%

> wise men guided by a star & brought gifts 68%

> Angel announced Jesus' birth to shepherds 67%

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2015

According to Barna (2015), 92% of Americans believe Jesus Christ was a real person.

About half agree Jesus was God (56%). This figure drops to 48% among millennials.

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Virgin Birth

2013 

Beliefs about the virgin birth have been studied. In 2013, Pew Research reported that 73% of Americans believe Jesus was born of a virgin. This was highest among White evangelicals at 97% and close among Black Protestants at 94%. White mainline Christians agreed at 70% and the lowest was the group called "Unaffiliated" (32%).

As seen in other results, age makes a difference. Among those under age 30, 2/3 believe Jesus was born of a virgin.

Please see the links for details including additional findings.

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Traditional Christian Beliefs

From the Nicene Creed

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father.

Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation

he came down from heaven:

by the power of the Holy Spirit

he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

     Source: episcopalchurch.org

Virgin Birth in Context

Bible scholars observe that at the time of Jesus' birth, people believed that some men were born of gods. And some point to word differences between Hebrew and Greek differences that could influence the role of prophecy in writing about Jesus' birth (For example, read Estrada III, 2022, RNS).

Jesus and the Science of Reproduction

Although ancient people made the connection between sexual intercourse of a male and a female leading to pregnancy, it is only in recent years that the role of sperm and egg in human reproduction were discovered. 

The sperm and egg were too small to be seen until the development of microscopes. A variety of strange ideas about how babies were formed within a uterus have been described.

In 1676, sperm was discovered by Ham, a medical student using Leeuwenhoek's microscope to examine semen. In 1827, Karl Ernst von Baer discovered the ovum.

For Jesus to have been born a normal fully human male child, he would have had one X and one Y chromosome. Fathers contribute either an X or a Y chromosome. Mothers only contribute X chromosomes. In the 1900s, scientists discovered the role of chromosomes in the determination of sex (See Schnebly (2021) for a detailed history).

Faith and Science

Belief in the literal account of the gospel reports of Mary's pregnancy and Jesus' birth requires beliefs in supernatural processes of creating a male child incompatible with scientific evidence of human reproduction. In short, Mary's pregnancy was a miracle.

Alternatively, Christians may view the gospel stories as true accounts of the way first century people understood Jesus' birth rather than a scientifically accurate account. 

Related Posts

Women still having virgin births

Symbolism in Jesus' Birth Narratives

References

Alex Lopata "History of the Egg in Embryology," Journal of Mammalian Ova Research 26(1), 2-9, (1 April 2009). https://doi.org/10.1274/jmor.26.2

Cobb, M. (2012). An amazing 10 years. The discovery of egg and sperm in the 17th century. Reproduction in domestic animals. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2012.02105.x

Genome.com

Schnebly, Risa Aria, "Sex Determination in Humans". Embryo Project Encyclopedia (2021-07-16). ISSN: 1940-5030 http://embryo.asu.edu/handle/10776/13286.

Updated 23 Dec 2022

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