Posted on 03/31/2006 4:39:47 PM PST by dangus
Yesterday, I posted an article about new data from the National Council of Churches about the decline of mainline Protestant churches. The NCC had no data to report about non-denominational churches. Several posts referred to "non-doms" and megachurches.
Turns out there was a very recent study by the Hartford Institute for Religious Research, that found 1336 "megachurches." (Although the study supposedly defined "megachurches" as having more than 2,000 attendees per weekend, 124 churches did not meet this definition.) This is a substantially greater number than has been tossed bout in research; a 2001 study found only about 800.
Most of these "megachurches" are not non-denominational, although non-denominational churches make up the largest number.
299 churches defined themselves as Non-denominational. 131 simply reported "none" and 58 reported "Christian." (Are these the same people who fill out "human" on their census form when it asks their race? I mean... duh! Or are they calling everyone else non-Christian?) Together, these totaled 1.85 million attendees. (200,000 answered they were Christian; 400,000 did not answer.)
The next biggest numbers were Baptist, with over 1.1 million attendees. Most were Southern Baptist (216 congregations with 692,000 members); with many simply answering "Baptist" (123 congregations with 376,000 members).
Other sizeable groups included Assemblies of God (257,000 members in 90 congregations), United Methodists (231,000 attendees in 68 congregations), and the Church of Christ (108,000 in 29 congregations). And yes, there are Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Seventh-Day Adventist. Only one Catholic church was included, although I know of several which are easily large enough to be included.
I trust from your answer that you really have no religious affiliation.
So what dog do you have in this race?
I hear you. My comment was more directed at the sloppiness of the reporting. The [Roman] Catholic Church considers itself one and undivided, so you wouldn't have "one" [Roman] Catholic Church in a certain location, but you might have a parish or diocese. Sort of like saying that "The Ford Motor Company in Wixom was closed," instead of "The Ford Wixom Assembly Plant was closed."
Meant to comment on that. I'm one of those smart-asses who've answered Human for race (only halfway tongue in cheek) and Christian for religion (not tongue in cheek at all). And I did so never suggesting that anyone else was neither human nor Christian, but at most possibly suggesting that some were inclinded to over-categorize themselves or others.
I am going to comment that the discussion over "mega" churches is pointless, for two reasons. First, we can never come to an adequate definition of mega. All the mainlines are in the millions, so each one is mega if you add up all the adherents. Ah, but you say they meet in small groups. Well, yes, ranging from a handful to several thousand (some individual Catholic, Presbyterian and Methodist congregations number well over 2000, megachurches in their own right). Second, bigness is frankly not a criterion of anything that matters. There are fine big churches and there are sorry tiny churches. So, again, what is the point of the whole size discussion, except to reinforce certain caricatures folks hold of massive scam services headed by plastic-haired televangelists?
My dog in this race is called "tax exemption" which religious joints enjoy and I am left to pick the slack. Once this provision of tax code is abolished, I will not have a dog in this race any longer.
No sweat. Thanks.
You mean ordained as a Universal Life Church insurance salesman? Thanks. I always held the insurance salesmen intermediate in my regard - between the lawyers on one side and the journalists on another.
Indeed! Although it is not widely known in our Western world, the Catholic Church is actually a communion of Churches. According to the Constitution on the Church of the Second Vatican Council, Lumen Gentium, the Catholic Church is understood to be "a corporate body of Churches," united with the Pope of Rome, who serves as the guardian of unity (LG, no. 23). At present there are 22 Churches that comprise the Catholic Church. The new Code of Canon Law, promulgated by Pope John Paul II, uses the phrase "autonomous ritual Churches" to describe these various Churches (canon 112). Each Church has its own hierarchy, spirituality, and theological perspective. Because of the particularities of history, there is only one Western Catholic Church, while there are 22 Eastern Catholic Churches. The Western Church, known officially as the Latin Church, is the largest of the Catholic Churches. It is immediately subject to the Roman Pontiff as Patriarch of the West. The Eastern Catholic Churches are each led by a Patriarch, Major Archbishop, or Metropolitan, who governs their Church together with a synod of bishops. Through the Congregation for Oriental Churches, the Roman Pontiff works to assure the health and well-being of the Eastern Catholic Churches.
While this diversity within the one Catholic Church can appear confusing at first, it in no way compromises the Church's unity. In a certain sense, it is a reflection of the mystery of the Trinity. Just as God is three Persons, yet one God, so the Church is 22 Churches, yet one Church.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church summarizes this nicely:
"From the beginning, this one Church has been marked by a great diversity which comes from both the variety of God's gifts and the diversity of those who receive them... Holding a rightful place in the communion of the Church there are also particular Churches that retain their own traditions. The great richness of such diversity is not opposed to the Church's unity" (CCC no. 814).
Although there are 22 Churches, there are only eight "Rites" that are used among them. A Rite is a "liturgical, theological, spiritual and disciplinary patrimony," (Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches, canon 28). "Rite" best refers to the liturgical and disciplinary traditions used in celebrating the sacraments. Many Eastern Catholic Churches use the same Rite, although they are distinct autonomous Churches. For example, the Ukrainian Catholic Church and the Melkite Catholic Church are distinct Churches with their own hierarchies. Yet they both use the Byzantine Rite.
To learn more about the "two lungs" of the Catholic Church, visit this link:
The Vatican II Council declared that "all should realize it is of supreme importance to understand, venerate, preserve, and foster the exceedingly rich liturgical and spiritual heritage of the Eastern churches, in order faithfully to preserve the fullness of Christian tradition" (Unitatis Redintegrato, 15).
To locate an Eastern Catholic Church in your community, follow the following link:
Eastern Catholic Churches in the U.S.
A Roman rite Catholic may attend any Eastern Catholic Liturgy and fulfill his of her obligations at any Eastern Catholic Parish. A Roman rite Catholic may join any Eastern Catholic Parish and receive any sacrament from an Eastern Catholic priest, since all belong to the Catholic Church as a whole. I am a Roman Catholic practicing my faith at a Maronite Catholic Church. Like the Chaleans, the Maronites retain Aramaic for the Consecration. It is as close as one comes to being at the Last Supper.
Me too! Me too!
Does that make me a Lucidite?
Good question.
Thanks for the details and the links! You're a peach!
Thanks much.
Ok, but incomplete. There are also several dozen Catholic Churches not in communion with Rome ...
Skunk Baxter had a lucite Strat. Sweeeet!
I love to see the diversity of those who Biblically truly love God. I believe they are in ALmost every Christian group . . . perhaps in every Christian group.
Lighten up, Larry.
1. While the study's definition of "mega" was arbitrary (and apparently excluded Catholics by some design), and while the data was structurally bound to be imprecise, it gave some insight into who these megachurch people are. (And I DON'T agree with the presumption of many that nondenominationals are inherently megachurchy; the white, metropolitan and satellite-city are, but I've seen endless numbers of tiny, minority-dominated non-dom churches.)
2. All subsequent comments about how mega meha is were made in jest.
>> Meant to comment on that. I'm one of those smart-asses who've answered Human for race (only halfway tongue in cheek) and Christian for religion (not tongue in cheek at all). <<
I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! *chuckle*
>> And I did so never suggesting that anyone else was neither human nor Christian, <<
I meant that as the alternative to the type of personality who would answer "human."
>> but at most possibly suggesting that some were inclinded to over-categorize themselves or others <<
It depends. I can certainly see someone answering "Christian" when asked what RELIGION he was. But when asked what DENOMINATION he is, the purpose is very clear. If you don't beleive in subscribing to a given denomination's beliefs, I would suggest you answer "non-denominationalist," or "none." (Of course, you're free to reject my suggestion.) But if its that you reject the notion of categorizing people so much, then I'd suggest simply refusing to answer the question.
Answering "Christian" when asked whay denomination you are is sorta like answering "vehicle" when asking what kind of car you drive...
And there are certainly plenty of people who call their denomination Christian to express the fact that they believe that theirs is the true Christian faith: "Church of Christ," "Church of God," "Christian Church," etc.
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