Decline in belief in True Presence

[cheese_sdc]

I’ve heard much lamenting of the perception that there is a real percentage decline the number of catholics who believe in the True Presence.

However, I’ve attempted my google-fu in digging up an actual poll with scientific evidence of a decline (for example, a poll taken in 1970 and one taken in the 1990’s that ask this question) and have come up empty. I’ve found other interesting information though.

I see numerous posts with various figures tossed around, but I can’t seem to find anything. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Thanks!

 

[baltobetsy]

Are you using “True Presence” as your search term? Perhaps you should try “Real Presence,” the more commonly used term.

Betsy

 

[cheese_sdc]

Thanks! I found a gallup poll that addressed the issue in 1993, but I had to subscribe (pay) to see the results…

 

[otjm]

Jimmie Akin did a response to this some time ago. One needs to keep in mind that people have not been well catechized for the last 30 to 40 years. Thus any poll, which asks fairly short, and fairly simple questions, is not necessarily going to convey the information some people think it does.

People can very well believe that the Eucharist is truly Christ without having an explicit, theologically and philosophically correct explanation of it. Part of the problem is the lack of solid catechesis, and part of the problem is how the poll is structured.

There is no doubt that people have not been well taught, but getting beat over the head by a poll that was not well constructed to begin with does become tiresome.

Don’t know where you can find is analysis of the poll(s), but I found it to be very illuminating.

 

[mchium]

A great place to feed your faith, learn so much, and find good apologetics and catechesis to help fight the lack of faith in this wonderful mystery

therealpresence.org/