|
||||
Table of Contents | Cover Page | Editors | Contributors | Introduction | Web Version |
||||
| EVALUATION RESEARCH | ||||
| The application of scientific method to determining the
overall benefits (or detriments) of practical, program implementations of
"public policies." Interest in such research has been spurred by
national legislators who desire to learn whether alternative, remedial
programs in, for example, education, health care, criminal justice, and
welfare have "paid off"—that is, whether they have met the
criteria of efficiency (costs) and/or effectiveness (projected goals). Church
policy refers to all programs and activities, including goals and
implementations, carried on by denominations and congregations. Evaluation
employs the basic tools of rational problem-solving, concentrating on
determining the clarity of stated program objectives and the adequacy of
program means used to reach such goals as well as uncovering undesired
"side effects." Unfortunately, however, religious groups often
adopt unstated, conflicting, or ambiguous goals, making evaluation
difficult or impossible. Some authorities even term religious groups goalless
.
The following are examples of current "policy" controversies in the churches that need elucidation by evaluation research: whether and to what extent numerical growth should be the prime goal of denominations and their congregational units; whether and to what extent worship services should be based upon so-called entertainment models; whether and to what extent monetary contributing should be based on "tithing" models; whether and to what extent the traditional homily (versus alternate communication modes) should be the main pastoral vehicle for teaching and motivating; whether and to what extent the building of "small groups" within large congregations increases solidarity. See also Decision Making, Organization Theory —Ross P. Scherer ReferencesT. R. Dye, Understanding Public Policy (Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1992) P. H. Rossi and H. E. Freeman, Evaluation (Beverly Hills, Calif.: Sage, 1985). |
||||
| return to Encyclopedia Table of Contents | ||||
Hartford
Institute for Religion Research hirr@hartsem.edu
|
