What factors drive the distinctive position that morality requires belief in God among historically Black Protestants in the U.S.?

The Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study frequently highlights distinctive trends among **historically Black Protestant (HBP) denominations** in the United States. For example, the 2023-24 study identified HBP as the only Christian group where a majority believed that **moral behavior requires a belief in God**, a view that contrasts sharply with other Christian categories and the general U.S. population (Pew Research Center, "Religion and Views of Right and Wrong ," 2023-24 survey). What are the key factors (e.g., **theological/doctrinal emphases**, **historical experiences**, specific **cultural values**, or **sociological dynamics**) that contribute to this distinctive proportion of adherence to this belief? In short, where does the HBP coupling of **being a moral person** with **believing in God** come from? **Majority of adults in the historically Black Protestant tradition say believing in God is necessary to be moral** *%who say ...* | |It is possible to be
moral and have
good values
without believing
in God|It is necessary to
believe in God in
order to be moral
and have good
values|Don't know/
Refused| |--|:--:|:--:|:--:| |**All U.S. Adults**| 68% | 30% | 2%=100% | |**Religiously affilliated**| 60 | 38 | 2 | |Christian|58|40|2| | Protestant|55|42|3| | *Evangelical*|51|46|2| | *Mainline*|71|27|3| | *Historically Black*|40|57|3| | Catholic|62|37|2| | Orthodox Christian|67|39|3| | Latter-Day Saint (Mormon)|73|23|3| |Other Religions|78|21|1| | Jewish|82|16|2| | Muslim|52|46|2| | Buddhist|79|19|1| | Hindu|73|26|1| |**Religiously unaffiliated**|88|11|1| |Atheist|98|2|1| |Agnostic|98|1|Note: Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding. Source: conducted July 17, 2023-March 4, 2024. **PEW RESEARCH CENTER**