Evangelization and Outreach in U.S. Orthodox Parishes

DOI

10.17605/OSF.IO/T8ZN3

Citation

Krindatch, A. (2020, October 11). Evangelization and Outreach in U.S. Orthodox Parishes.

Summary

"Go and Make Disciples: Evangelization and Outreach Efforts in U.S. Orthodox Parishes" is the first ever national study on evangelization and outreach practices in U.S. Orthodox Christian Churches. The study was initiated by and conducted under the auspices of the Committee for Agencies and Endorsed Organizations of the Assembly of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the United States of America. It surveys the priests of 75 Orthodox congregations across the U.S. concerning the demographic composition, context, congregational life, and outreach efforts of their parish.

Data File

Cases: 75
Variables: 68
Weight Variable: None

Data Collection

2016

Original Survey (Instrument)

Go and Make Disciples: Evangelization and Outreach in U.S. Orthodox Parishes

Funded By

Committee for Agencies and Endorsed Organizations, Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA

Collection Procedures

Email invitation to online survey.

Sampling Procedures

Seven U.S. Orthodox jurisdictions participated in the first stage of the study ʺLiving Out Our Faith: Evangelization and Outreach Efforts in U.S. Orthodox Parishes:ʺ

Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese
American Carpatho‐Russian Orthodox Diocese
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
Orthodox Church in America
Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese
Serbian Orthodox Church
Ukrainian Orthodox Church

Each jurisdiction participating in the study selected five parishes that ‐ from the perspective of the jurisdictional liaisons ‐ can be seen as exemplary in their evangelization and outreach efforts. Side‐by‐side with the ʺexemplary parishes,ʺ each jurisdiction also selected a group of ʺnormalʺ parishes: i.e. the parishes that could be seen as ʺtypicalʺ for this or that jurisdiction. A comprehensive online survey was completed by the clergy in both ʺexemplaryʺ and ʺnormalʺ parishes. One of the questions in the survey asked: ʺWould you say that your parish is truly ʹoutreach orientedʹ?ʺ This question was used as a ʺcontrol question.ʺ That is, if a parish community was designated by its jurisdictional liaison as exemplary in its evangelization and outreach efforts, but, at the same time responded ʺnoʺ or ʺnot sureʺ to the question ʺWould you say that your parish is truly ʹoutreach orientedʹ?ʺ such parishes were removed from the sample. Similarly, if a parish was designated by its jurisdictional liaison as ʺnormalʺ (i.e. not placing strong emphasis on evangelization and outreach) but, at the same time responded ʺyesʺ to the question ʺWould you say that your parish is truly ʹoutreach orientedʹ?ʺ such parishes were also removed from the sample. The over‐sample was done (i.e. more parishes were added by the jurisdictional liaisons to the study) until a situation was achieved when all designations of liaisons of the parishes (as either ʺexemplaryʺ or ʺnormalʺ) corresponded fully with the parishesʹ self‐perception as being or not being ʺtruly outreach oriented.ʺ The final studyʹs data‐set included 75 parishes, including:

11 parishes of the Antiochian Archdiocese (five ʺexemplaryʺ and six ʺnormalʺ parishes)
10 parishes of the American Carpatho‐Russian Orthodox Diocese (four ʺexemplaryʺ and six ʺnormalʺ parishes)
12 parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (six ʺexemplaryʺ and six ʺnormalʺ parishes)
12 parishes of the Orthodox Church in America (six ʺexemplaryʺ and six ʺnormalʺ parishes)
10 parishes of the Romanian Archdiocese (five ʺexemplaryʺ and five ʺnormalʺ parishes)
10 parishes of the Serbian Orthodox Church (five ʺexemplaryʺ and five ʺnormalʺ parishes)
10 parishes of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (five ʺexemplaryʺ and five ʺnormalʺ parishes)

The goal of analysis of the responses to the survey was to identify the distinct features and characteristics of the ʺexemplaryʺ parish communities. It should be emphasized that a significant number of questions in the survey were open‐ended questions that allowed the priests to write extensive answers and offer their thoughts and reflections on various subjects.

Principal Investigators

Alexei Krindatch