Comparing Personal Religious Practices Across the Generations

Deborah A. Bruce
Research Services, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
dbruce@ctr.pcusa.org

About 300,000 worshipers in over 2,000 congregations participated in the U.S. Congregational Life Survey (www.USCongregations.org) conducted by the Research Services office of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) in April 2001.  Congregations were selected by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago using hyper-network sampling to be representative of congregations of all denominations and faith groups across the country.  All worshipers in each participating congregation completed a survey in worship, providing extensive data about individuals actively involved in religious life in America.  Survey topics included worshipers’ faith background and current membership, their participation in activities of the congregation, and their values regarding congregational life. 

Using data from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, personal religious practices were compared among worshipers in different age groups (Gen Y, Gen X, Boomers, and Older Persons).  Practices examined include traditional indicators of religious life such as private prayer, Bible reading, and saying grace before meals, as well as alternative expressions of spirituality such as meditation, reading New Age books, and visiting religious Web sites.  It was hypothesized that younger worshipers would be less likely to be involved in traditional religious practices and more likely to be pursuing alternative religious practices.  Support was found for the former, but not for the latter.  Few worshipers in any age range pursue alternative practices on a regular basis.  Further, generational differences were found to be less important predictors of religious behaviors such as worship attendance and private devotions than other factors.

We contracted with the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago to identify a random sample of U.S. congregations attended by individuals who participated in the General Social Survey (GSS) in the year 2000.  All GSS participants who reported that they attended worship at least once in the prior year were asked to name the place where they worshiped.  Since the GSS involves a national random sample of individuals, congregations identified by GSS participants comprise a national random sample of congregations.  NORC researchers verified that each nominated congregation was an actual congregation and then invited each congregation to participate in the project.  Of 1,214 nominated and verified congregations, 807 agreed to participate (66%), and 434 returned completed surveys from their worshipers (36%).  (Congregations that chose not to participate gave many different reasons.)  Surveys were given in worship at the end of April 2001. Worshipers in these congregations, representing all 50 states, completed 122,287 attendee surveys, which are the primary source of the findings reported here.

For generational analyses, respondents were divided into four groups based on their self-reported year of birth:

Table 1
Where do Young People Attend?
Larger Percentages in Larger Congregations

Table 2
Where do Young People Attend?
Larger Percentages in Catholic Parishes and Conservative Protestant Churches

Table 4
Generational Differences in Congregational Activities and Experiences 

* Item answered by sub-sample of entire sample; n=1,182.

Responsive Congregational Identity:  Identity Strength and Diversity as Correlates of Vitality

Cynthia A. Woolever
woolever@hartsem.edu

Congregational identity, the sense of “who we are and what are we about,” varies from congregation to congregation. This paper describes patterns of identity within and between congregations. Using items from the U.S. Congregational Life Survey, a positive, future-directed identity index was created. It is hypothesized that this type of congregational identity is related to theology, congregational size, and the age profile of the worshipers. Through multiple regression analyses, additional factors are explored that may predict a future-directed identity, including levels of worshiper involvement, percentage of new people in the congregation, ratio of female worshipers, and numerical growth in attendance. Theology and the age profile of the congregation remain important predictors of a positive congregational identity when controlling for other factors. And for all faith groups, higher levels of worshiper involvement are related to a more future-directed identity. Congregational size is an important predictor of identity for Mainline Protestant churches only. A future-directed identity is a significant predictor of higher levels of congregational spiritual vitality but not of congregational community involvement. 

Table 1
 Congregational Identity Measures

[CRV: Coefficient of Relative Variation (Standard deviation / Mean); closer to 1.00 reflects greater diversity.]

Vision Commitment:

Worshipers who feel the congregation has a clear vision, goals, or direction for its ministry and mission and they are strongly committed to them (% yes).

Future Focused:        

Worshipers who have a sense of excitement about their congregation’s future (% strongly agree).

New Direction:

Worshipers who feel the congregation is currently moving in new directions (% strongly agree).

Change Readiness:

Worshipers who feel the congregation is always ready to try something new (% strongly agree and agree).

Identity Index (Cronbach’s coefficient alpha = .82)

Table 2
 Correlations of Identity Index and Identity Measures

Table 3
Congregational Identity and Faith Group

Table 4
Congregational Identity and Size (Average Worship Attendance) 

Table 5
Congregational Identity Index, Faith Group, and Size

Table 6
Congregational Identity and Age Profile

Table 7
Congregational Identity Index, Faith Group, and Size

Table 8
Multiple Regression: Identity as Predicted by Congregational Characteristics

Table 9
Multiple Regression: Identity as Predictor—Level of Involvement

Table 10
Multiple Regression: Identity as Predictor—Spiritual Vitality

Table 11
Multiple Regression: Identity as Predictor—Community Involvement