Data Archive - All Categories

No church is entirely satisfied with the level of financial support that it receives from its members. For this reason, the Lilly Endowment commissioned a nation-wide study of giving in U.S. churches, which came to be known as the American Congregational Giving Study. One aspect was a five denomination study which included: Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist Convention, Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). A total of 125 congregations from each denomination were studied. The congregations were chosen from nine sampling regions, one in each of the nine U.S. census regions. Field workers personally visited each congregation in the sample. They had two tasks. First, they assisted the pastor in the completion of a Congregational Profile, which summarized the major socioeconomic characteristics, beliefs, programs and finances of the congregation. Second, they selected a random sample of 30 congregation members. Each of these was sent a Lay Questionnaire, which asked members about their personal religious beliefs, opinions about both their congregation and denomination and their personal socioeconomic characteristics. The data were collected into two separate data files, one containing the congregational profiles (ACGSCONG) and the other containing the responses from the member questionnaires (ACGSMBRS). The data from each congregational profile and that congregation's member questionnaires are easily merged through their common congregational id (Variable name CONGID). [See More...]

No church is entirely satisfied with the level of financial support that it receives from its members. For this reason, the Lilly Endowment commissioned a nation-wide study of giving in U.S. churches, which came to be known as the American Congregational Giving Study. One aspect was a five denomination study of church members which included: Assemblies of God, Southern Baptist Convention, Roman Catholic Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). A total of 30 households from each of the 125 congregations were studied. [See More...]

The Mission Handbook is a catalog of North American Protestant mission agencies that maintain international ministries and has been published in 22 editions from 1953 to 2017 (Dayton 1976; Missionary Research Library 1953, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966; Missionary Research Library and Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center 1968, 1970; Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center 1973; Newell 2017; Roberts and Siewert 1989; Siewert 1995; Siewert and Kenyon 1993; Siewert and Valdez 1997; Siewert and Welliver 2000; Weber 2010; Weber and Welliver 2007; Welliver and Northcutt 2004; Wilson 1979; Wilson and Siewert 1986). Variables were constructed from key data across these editions. Three separate datasets were constructed with these variables. The first, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Profiles, 1951-2016 v2.1', covers all 22 editions, prioritizing those data that were the most consistent across all 22 editions. The second, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Profiles, 2016 v2.1', only focuses on data from the most recent 22nd edition, and includes additional variables. The third, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Countries, 1951-2016 v2.1' (this one), covers all the countries in which mission agencies declared ministries, from the first to the last edition when an agency mentioned a country in which it operated. [See More...]

The Mission Handbook is a catalog of North American Protestant mission agencies that maintain international ministries and has been published in 22 editions from 1953 to 2017 (Dayton 1976; Missionary Research Library 1953, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966; Missionary Research Library and Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center 1968, 1970; Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center 1973; Newell 2017; Roberts and Siewert 1989; Siewert 1995; Siewert and Kenyon 1993; Siewert and Valdez 1997; Siewert and Welliver 2000; Weber 2010; Weber and Welliver 2007; Welliver and Northcutt 2004; Wilson 1979; Wilson and Siewert 1986). Variables were constructed from key data across these editions. Three separate datasets were constructed with these variables. The first, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Profiles, 1951-2016 v2.1' (this one), covers all 22 editions, prioritizing those data that were the most consistent across all 22 editions. The second, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Profiles, 2016 v2.1', only focuses on data from the most recent 22nd edition, and includes additional variables. The third, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Countries, 1951-2016 v2.1', covers all the countries in which mission agencies declared ministries, from the first to the last edition when an agency mentioned a country in which it operated. [See More...]

The Mission Handbook is a catalog of North American Protestant mission agencies that maintain international ministries and has been published in 22 editions from 1953 to 2017 (Dayton 1976; Missionary Research Library 1953, 1956, 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966; Missionary Research Library and Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center 1968, 1970; Missions Advanced Research and Communication Center 1973; Newell 2017; Roberts and Siewert 1989; Siewert 1995; Siewert and Kenyon 1993; Siewert and Valdez 1997; Siewert and Welliver 2000; Weber 2010; Weber and Welliver 2007; Welliver and Northcutt 2004; Wilson 1979; Wilson and Siewert 1986). Variables were constructed from key data across these editions. Three separate datasets were constructed with these variables. The first, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Profiles, 1951-2016 v2.1', covers all 22 editions, prioritizing those data that were the most consistent across all 22 editions. The second, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Profiles, 2016 v2.1' (this one), only focuses on data from the most recent 22nd edition, and includes additional variables. The third, 'American Protestant Mission Agencies Countries, 1951-2016 v2.1', covers all the countries in which mission agencies declared ministries, from the first to the last edition when an agency mentioned a country in which it operated. [See More...]

This dataset examines the beliefs and practices of early Anabaptist groups. Together with the dataset on the social networks of Anabaptist leaders, it can be used to examine the diffusion of theology and ideas among early Anabaptist groups. [See More...]

This dataset examines social networks between early Anabaptist leaders. Together with the dataset on the beliefs of early Anabaptist leaders and groups, it can be used to examine the diffusion of theology and ideas among early Anabaptist leaders. [See More...]

The Southern Baptist Convention Annual Church Profile (ACP) seeks to preserve Southern Baptist history while collecting data on the ministries occurring in Southern Baptist churches. Another goal of the ACP is to allow individual Southern Baptist churches to examine their own progress of ministry and growth. Church clerks for Southern Baptist churches compile information, including church membership, Sunday school, discipleship, finances, and mission data. This data file focuses on the ACP's Sunday school reports for 1995. [See More...]

The 1993 Edition "From Belief to Commitment" offers the following description of the project summary. [See More...]

Drawing on extensive prior research that explored the relationship between congregations and social welfare, the KCCS had four objectives: (1) to document the social and educational services that Kent County, Michigan congregations actually provide; (2) to collect demographic and contextual information about religious leaders, congregations, and their civic and community engagement; (3) to facilitate comparison of Kent County to the nation; and (4) to estimate the "replacement value" of the top three social or educational services provided by each congregation. [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2000. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2001. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2002. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2003. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2004. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2005. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2006. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2007. This dataset can be compared to corresponding datasets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2008. This dataset can be compared to corresponding data sets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2009. This dataset can be compared to corresponding data sets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2010. This dataset can be compared to corresponding data sets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2011. This dataset can be compared to corresponding data sets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

Each year the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) asks its congregations to report numbers pertaining to membership, average attendance, income, and expenditures. This dataset contains these figures for 2012. This dataset can be compared to corresponding data sets from other years to examine trends in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). [See More...]

The purpose of the Pulpit & Pew Survey, undertaken for the researchers by the National Opinion Research Center, was to take stock of U.S. pastoral leadership: Who are they? What is their core work? How has it changed over time? How are they faring? The researchers were also concerned with social and cultural trends affecting pastoral leadership, and attempted to ask, normatively, what excellent pastoral leadership entails and how it can be nurtured and supported. The focus was on the universe of senior or solo pastors of congregations from all Christian denominations as well as pastors of independent churches. Non-Christian religious leaders were also sampled. The researchers did not survey associate or assistant pastors, clergy who serve in various non-congregational ministries, and retired clergy who are no longer serving congregations. The survey data were supplemented by focus group interviews in seven sites across the U.S. [See More...]

This file contains information on all congregations in the Reformed Church in America (RCA) from 1818 to 2000. The data are from the "Orange Book" directories of the RCA. They include all information that is recorded there for each congregation, from ministers' names to "total contributions." Churches are identified by name, with a deliberate attempt to include multiple names where applicable. Also included are the city, classis(es), synod(s), and county where the church is located. Annual national fertility rates are included on each church's records, as are decadal U.S. population and Consumer Price Index figures. [See More...]

Beginning in the 1980s claims of "Satanic ritual abuse" received considerable attention in the popular media. Ritual abuse survivors claim to have been physically and sexually molested by secretive, underground groups of Satanists. Many ritual abuse survivors further claim that Satanists have the ability to erase memories of their abuse. Hence, survivors often attempt to recover "repressed" memories of ritual abuse with the help of therapists. With the spread of ritual abuse claims in the 1990s, dozens of therapists began to specialize in the subject. [See More...]

The Religion in Urban America Program (RUAP) conducts research in metropolitan Chicago concerning the diverse ways religious organizations of all faiths serve urban people and address urban issues. The heart of the study is an empirical examination of religious and religiously affiliated organizations in metropolitan Chicago. We have conducted case studies of some 75 congregations and numerous other organizations--denominational, ecumenical, and interfaith agencies, religiously based community organizations, and special-purpose groups. Using ethnography as the principal research method, which includes on-site observations and interviews, we attempt to understand and interpret each organization on its own terms and with attention to those features and purposes considered most important by its leaders and constituencies. The Survey of Congregations in Metropolitan Chicago was conducted for the sole purpose of providing information to assist us in selecting congregations to serve as ethnographic case studies. [See More...]

This survey was conducted to supplement the research on congregations being conducted by the Religion in Urban America Program. The primary concern was to learn whether and to what extent religious, social service and community organizations related to and extended the work of churches. That is, whether they bridged geographic and/or social boundaries and whether there was a difference between religious and secular organizations with respect to the bridging function. [See More...]

Seminary faculty constitutes a religious elite that influences and trains America's future religious leaders. This research surveys seminary faculty at 100 ATS-accredited theological schools in the USA. It explores curricular and co-curricular engagements with LGBT issues and realities, faculty understandings and stances on same-sex sexuality and marriage, and faculty understandings of what such stances should imply for religious communities and civil society. [See More...]

This data set represents the quantitative portion of The Confirmation Project, collected from nationwide surveys of confirmation leaders, student participants, and parents in five Christian denominations in the USA. The five denominations included the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the United Methodist Church (UMC), the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the Episcopal Church. All five denominations share a Protestant heritage and practice infant baptism. Survey respondents represent more than 3,000 congregations in these five denominations. Data were collected in two waves: October 2014-April 2015 and January-April 2016. [See More...]

Survey data on new religious movements (NRM) in the United States are difficult to find, particularly when the movements in question are reticent to talk with outsiders. UFO abductees are individuals who believe they have been kidnapped by extra-terrestrials. Many abductees believe that extraterrestrials have the ability to erase memories of the abduction. In the 1980s a number of support groups for abductees appeared in the United States with the expressed purpose of helping abductees to recover their memories of alien abductions. The principal investigator was able to survey the membership of one such group, the UFO Contact Center International (now defunct) in 1990. [See More...]