As Christians gather to celebrate Easter this Sunday, the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 88% of adults nationwide think the person known to history as Jesus Christ actually walked the earth 2,000 years ago. That’s up five points from a year ago. Today, 5% disagree and 7% are not sure.

Eighty-two percent (82%) also believe that Jesus Christ was the son of God who came to Earth and died for our sins. Another 10% think otherwise and 8% aren’t sure.

Nearly as many, 79% believe the central claim of the Christian faith--that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Only 10% say they do not believe the first Easter resurrection really happened, while 11% are not sure.

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Overall, women tend to be stronger believers in Jesus Christ than men. Eighty-seven (87%) of women and 70% of men believe Jesus rose from the dead; 89% of women and 74% of men think he was the son of God; 91% of women and 85% of men believe he actually walked the earth.

Eighty-five percent (85%) of Catholics believe Jesus rose from the dead along with 86% of Protestants and 97% of Evangelical Christians. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of Catholics also think Jesus was the son of God. That view is shared by 90% of Protestants and 97% of Evangelical Christians. Finally, 87% of Catholics, 95% of Protestants and all Evangelical Christians surveyed believe that Jesus Christ walked the earth.

Among those who rarely or never attend church, 50% believe Jesus rose from the dead, 58% think he was the son of God and 72% say he walked the Earth.

While most adults are believers in Jesus Christ, just over half (56%) of adults say they will attend a church service to celebrate Jesus’ resurrection. Thirty-five percent (35%) have no intention of going to a service, while 9% are not sure if they will attend a service or not.

A separate Rasmussen Reports survey found that 53% consider Easter to be one of the nation’s most important holidays.

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