SURVEYS & TRENDS
Fast Facts about American Religion
From their website: Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research has a thirty-five year record of rigorous, policy-relevant research, anticipation of emerging issues and commitment to the creative dissemination of learning. This record has earned the Institute an international reputation as an important bridge between the scholarly community and the practice of faith.
Faith Communities Today
From their website: Faith Communities Today (FACT) is a series of ongoing research reports about congregational life, conducted and published by the Cooperative Congregations Studies Partnership (CCSP), an interfaith group of religious researchers and leaders. CCSP consists of members from 25+ different faith groups, working in conjunction with Hartford Seminary and the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Our first national benchmark study was issued in 2000. Reports since then include national studies in 2005 and 2008. The 2010 FACT research is in the final planning stages.
U.S. Congregations
From their website: U.S. Congregations is a religious research group staffed by religious researchers and sociologists who are conducting the U.S. Congregational Life Survey. It is housed in the offices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville, Kentucky.
The National Congregations Study
From their website: The National Congregations Study (NCS) is an ongoing national survey effort to gather information about the basic characteristics of America's congregations. The first wave of the NCS took place in 1998; Wave II was fielded in 2006-07. The study was repeated in order to track both continuity and change among American congregations. We know congregational life is changing but it is difficult to document exactly what is changing in the 21st century, and how fast. The National Congregations Study contributes to knowledge about American congregations by gathering information about a wide range of their characteristics and programs across time. Wave II also explores subjects that were not explored in Wave I.
The American Religious Identification Survey 2008
From their website: The ARIS 2008 survey was carried out during February-November 2008 and collected answers from 54,461 respondents who were questioned in English or Spanish.
The Association of Religion Data Archives
From their website: The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) strives to democratize access to the best data on religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997 and going online in 1998, the initial archive was targeted at researchers interested in American religion. The targeted audience and the data collection have both greatly expanded since 1998, now including American and international collections and developing features for educators, journalists, religious congregations, and researchers. Data included in the ARDA are submitted by the foremost religion scholars and research centers in the world. Currently housed in the Social Science Research Institute, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of Sociology at the Pennsylvania State University, the ARDA is funded by the Lilly Endowment, the John Templeton Foundation and the Pennsylvania State University.
Insights into Religion
From their website: Through this gateway, religious leaders and the public can find congregational resources and insights into religious practices. The organizations and projects on this portal site are supported by Lilly Endowment’s Religion Divisions.
Gallup
From their website: Gallup has studied human nature and behavior for more than 75 years. Gallup's reputation for delivering relevant, timely, and visionary research on what people around the world think and feel is the cornerstone of the organization. Gallup employs many of the world's leading scientists in management, economics, psychology, and sociology, and our consultants assist leaders in identifying and monitoring behavioral economic indicators worldwide. Gallup consultants help organizations boost organic growth by increasing customer engagement and maximizing employee productivity through measurement tools, coursework, and strategic advisory services. Gallup's 2,000 professionals deliver services at client organizations, through the Web, at Gallup University's campuses, and in more than 40 offices around the world.
The Barna Group
From their website: Barna Group is a visionary research and resource company located in Ventura, California. The firm is widely considered to be the leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture. The Barna Group offers a range of customized research, resources and training to serve churches, non-profits, businesses and leaders.
From their website: Hartford Seminary's Hartford Institute for Religion Research has a thirty-five year record of rigorous, policy-relevant research, anticipation of emerging issues and commitment to the creative dissemination of learning. This record has earned the Institute an international reputation as an important bridge between the scholarly community and the practice of faith.
Faith Communities Today
From their website: Faith Communities Today (FACT) is a series of ongoing research reports about congregational life, conducted and published by the Cooperative Congregations Studies Partnership (CCSP), an interfaith group of religious researchers and leaders. CCSP consists of members from 25+ different faith groups, working in conjunction with Hartford Seminary and the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. Our first national benchmark study was issued in 2000. Reports since then include national studies in 2005 and 2008. The 2010 FACT research is in the final planning stages.
U.S. Congregations
From their website: U.S. Congregations is a religious research group staffed by religious researchers and sociologists who are conducting the U.S. Congregational Life Survey. It is housed in the offices of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in Louisville, Kentucky.
The National Congregations Study
From their website: The National Congregations Study (NCS) is an ongoing national survey effort to gather information about the basic characteristics of America's congregations. The first wave of the NCS took place in 1998; Wave II was fielded in 2006-07. The study was repeated in order to track both continuity and change among American congregations. We know congregational life is changing but it is difficult to document exactly what is changing in the 21st century, and how fast. The National Congregations Study contributes to knowledge about American congregations by gathering information about a wide range of their characteristics and programs across time. Wave II also explores subjects that were not explored in Wave I.
The American Religious Identification Survey 2008
From their website: The ARIS 2008 survey was carried out during February-November 2008 and collected answers from 54,461 respondents who were questioned in English or Spanish.
The Association of Religion Data Archives
From their website: The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) strives to democratize access to the best data on religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997 and going online in 1998, the initial archive was targeted at researchers interested in American religion. The targeted audience and the data collection have both greatly expanded since 1998, now including American and international collections and developing features for educators, journalists, religious congregations, and researchers. Data included in the ARDA are submitted by the foremost religion scholars and research centers in the world. Currently housed in the Social Science Research Institute, the College of Liberal Arts, and the Department of Sociology at the Pennsylvania State University, the ARDA is funded by the Lilly Endowment, the John Templeton Foundation and the Pennsylvania State University.
Insights into Religion
From their website: Through this gateway, religious leaders and the public can find congregational resources and insights into religious practices. The organizations and projects on this portal site are supported by Lilly Endowment’s Religion Divisions.
Gallup
From their website: Gallup has studied human nature and behavior for more than 75 years. Gallup's reputation for delivering relevant, timely, and visionary research on what people around the world think and feel is the cornerstone of the organization. Gallup employs many of the world's leading scientists in management, economics, psychology, and sociology, and our consultants assist leaders in identifying and monitoring behavioral economic indicators worldwide. Gallup consultants help organizations boost organic growth by increasing customer engagement and maximizing employee productivity through measurement tools, coursework, and strategic advisory services. Gallup's 2,000 professionals deliver services at client organizations, through the Web, at Gallup University's campuses, and in more than 40 offices around the world.
The Barna Group
From their website: Barna Group is a visionary research and resource company located in Ventura, California. The firm is widely considered to be the leading research organization focused on the intersection of faith and culture. The Barna Group offers a range of customized research, resources and training to serve churches, non-profits, businesses and leaders.
