A new report in the Fall issue of Leadership journal shows great disparity among people in the United States who call themselves "Christian." In fact, this nationwide survey of more than 1,000 self-identified adherents reveals five distinct types of practitioners with very different views on salvation, the Bible, morality, and the cultural impact of their faith.

For news reporters and news consumers, this diversity requires careful attention to the variety of opinion among people generally labeled "Christian." Not all Christians think alike on cultural issues, and the survey makes the reasons clearer.

For church leaders, the identification of five approaches to faith may make theological discussion and the faith-sharing common to evangelical believers more coherent. With this survey, the common ground among Christians becomes more evident, but so do the areas of disagreement.

The survey was conducted for Christianity Today International (publisher of Leadership journal) and Zondervan Publishers ...