Do the actions of a religious leader in any way influence how their congregation will act? The idea that religious leaders like pastors and priests serve as a model for their flock is widely accepted within a number of world religions. In the Bible, Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 11:1, “Follow my example, as I […]

The lavish lifestyle of some pastors is not a new phenomenon. However, recent news stories highlight the questionable practices used by these religious leaders to increase their book sales, leaving many to wonder where all the profits end up. While in the minority, the actions of these pastors can spark renewed debate about how much […]

The U.S. Congregational Life Survey contains rare data on the emotions experienced by congregations during their services.  This information has been extremely useful in my work as a sociologist of religion.  I typically focus on a few main research questions inspired by the sociologist Emile Durkheim.  Whether observing worship services, interviewing members, or analyzing survey […]

The president of Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School in upstate New York has visited a different church about every other Sunday for the last three years. The congregations the Rev. Marvin McMickle encounters are mostly either 99 percent white or 99 percent black. Not only is it rare to notice meaningful integration at any level, […]

What is most commonly discussed on the Beyond the Ordinary blog? The word cloud below highlights themes from all of the blog posts written over the last year and several months. As you can see, the U.S. Congregational Life Survey and U.S. Congregations.org is focused on serving worshipers,  and congregations. Interested in finding out how we can best serve you […]

Despite the continued rebound of the economy many Americans still worry about money. Close to half report being under a “high level” of financial stress. Having enough money saved for retirement is one of the most prevalent worries. From 2009 to 2012 the proportion of Americans who are unsure if their income and assets will […]

Tax season is in full swing and by Tuesday, April 15th, everyone must file their taxes for 2013. Many retailers have been offering an assortment of deals to those who receive tax refunds to lure them into their stores or onto their websites. Some vendors have even teamed up with online tax software. Every spring, Americans are interested in discovering if they will receive a refund, and how big that refund will be.

I have attended weekend retreats the past couple of years with more than 100 men from neighboring churches. For the most part, they are good experiences, filled with worship, prayer and fellowship. But there are times when I feel a little bit worse than I did before – those times when the retreat directors show […]

Which religious concept is embraced by the poor, is associated with increased giving and service attendance and may help improve work satisfaction? And is in general more likely to be rejected by Americans as their incomes rise? The answer is Hell, which still retains much of its fury – along with potential social benefits and […]

Earlier this week the news-cycle and various social media outlets like Twitter were abuzz concerning the debate between Bill Nye (the science guy) and Ken Ham, the founder of the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky (video of the debate can be found here). Many billed the debate as a representation of the oppositional nature of two worldviews, science and faith. […]