Posted on 11/26/2005 4:06:19 PM PST by rhema
The continuing decline of the historic mainline denominations is much more than just a matter of losses from aging and growing secularization. A recent analysis by the Washington-based Institute for Religion and Democracy, an evangelical think tank, suggests that large numbers of disaffected members are switching to conservative churches.
Between 1965 and 2003, the latest year full figures were available, membership declined by the following percentages:
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) shrank by a whopping 57.2 percent, to 770,793;
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), 43.5 percent, to 2.4 million;
United Church of Christ, 37.4 percent, to 1.3 million;
Episcopal Church, 35.8 percent, to 2.3 million;
United Methodist Church, 25.4 percent, to 8.25 million;
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 12.3 percent, to 4.98 million;
American Baptist Churches, 6.9 percent, to 1.43 million (larger losses were staved off by growth in black and Hispanic churches).
On the plus side, the Assemblies of God registered a spectacular 377 percent increase, to 2.72 million; the Southern Baptist Convention, a 52.6 percent increase, to 16.43 million; and the U.S. Catholic Church, buoyed by Hispanics, 45.4 percent, to 67.25 million.
For mainliners, it could be worse than it seems. For example, actual Sunday attendance in the 2.32-million-member Episcopal Church (ECUSA) averaged only 795,765 in 2003, down by 62,801 from the year before. ECUSA researcher Kirk Hadaway blames part of the hit that year on ECUSA decisions to consecrate a noncelibate gay bishop and to give tacit approval to blessing same-sex unions. But, he adds, it was part of a continuing decline.
So it looks like ordinating gay priests did not attract gays to join, as they claimed it would. Imagine that.
Maybe they did start attending. But being only 1% of the population, they drove everyone else away. In either case, who care?
Marxism may be the theology of secular humanism and bad as it is as an economic system it is even worse as a religion.
>>Assemblies of God registered a spectacular 377 percent increase<<
Something to watch - the AOG's that I have seen and been to in the past reflect a very loose, easy-going theology. I know there are many here who attend AOG's and I'm sure they're sound places, but what I've seen leaves a lot to be desired.
It's even worse than these stats suggest.
1. The average age of a member, and average age of an attendeed, has gotten considerably older for the old line denominations., meaning that the mortality tables will soon catch up with them. Conversely, the growing churches tend to be a much younger crowd.
2. In the areas that are dominated by these churches there is a greater percentage of unchurched persons than in areas that are either dominated by the growing churches, or have an even distribution of churches.
What is loose, easy going theology?
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A), 43.5 percent, to 2.4 million;
There was a merger in there somewhere in that time frame, when the PCUSA absorbed the Southron Presbyterians. Take that into account and the numbers would be worse.
OTOH, I have heard that the way some conservative evangelical bodies count membership is somewhat sloppy.
Nothing substantial - all milk, no meat. "I'm ok, you're ok", "Jesus is your buddy", "God is a heavenly ATM" sort of material.
I've never been in one of their churches and know nothing of their theology, but there is one not far down the road from our Greek Orthodox parish. The parking lot is always full on Sundays. I understand that a large majority of the parishioners, to my surprise, are local converts from Roman Catholicism!
Amazing! The same sort of pablum that was taught in the mainline churches a generation ago. Watch these decline in another 20 years or so.
Look, though, at the total that 377% got them up to, compared to the SB and RCC totals. Small.
>> Washington-based Institute for Religion and Democracy, <<
WIRD? :^D
Amazing correlation between the decline of the churches and their theological liberalism. That is a perfect list from most liberal (Disciples of Christ) to most strict (Assemblies of God).
...Although I tend to get Disciples of Christ and UCC mixed up.
It would be interesting to include sizes of the conservative counterparts, like Presbyterian Churches in America, Suothern Methodists, Anglican AC, Missouri Synod Lutheran Church.
They left out "The Church of What's Happening Now".
No surprise at all. Here in Southern California, a very large percentage of of Evangelicals (Baptists, Pentecostals, etc), are ex-Roman Catholics. The first Evangelical church I ever attended, was a Southern Baptist church that is ~70% Mexican-American -- nearly all of whom were ex-Catholics.
Catholicism, in its pure and properly practiced form, may indeed be a "live" religion, but around here (Los Angeles area -- Mahoney's realm) it's pretty dead. All it takes is for someone to show a Catholic the Bible, and the lights come on, and soon they are ex-Catholics even though, in terms of their personal morality they're probably more Catholic than they ever were before.
If the Catholic church would live, breathe, and teach the Bible, they probably wouldn't lose so many people to the ranks of the Evangelicals. The old retired pastor emeritus of my church once joked, "This is the largest Catholic church in the Conejo Valley". When I asked him later what he meant by that, he explained that he wanted to make Catholics feel welcome because a lot of Catholics attend, I assume for the Bible teaching that the Catholic church doesn't offer. (BTW, he's not an anti-Catholic ranter, either -- he happens to be one of the most Catholic-friendly Protestant pastors I've ever met, and is a big Benedict-16 fan.) The one and only time I ever convinced my Catholic Mom to visit our church, just so happened to be the day that the guest preacher was -- the very Catholic Jim Caviezel (who lives nearby). Conversely, my Mom's old Catholic church a few miles away, hired a Methodist minister to come in and teach a Bible study. Go figure.
As much as I would like to rag on Mahoney, the fault lies in Mexico. Mexico was the victim of a Communist regime, every bit as much as Russia. (Lenin and Trotsky both visited Mexico, in fact.) They massacred the Roman Catholic priesthood until only a small shell of Marxist-tainted "nominal" Catholics remained. Although Mexicans still call themselves Catholic, very few go to church, believe in any key doctrine, or live according to Catholic teaching. All that is left are vaguely Catholic superstitions about the Blessed Virgin.
...On the other hand, if that few Mexicans actually remain even nominally Catholic apon entering the USA, it puts the lie to the dismissal that Catholic church growth in America is simply because of Hispanic immigration. The Catholic church grew by 9 million people in the 1990s, or 16.2%, and had more converts than any other branch of Christianity in America. (And yes, it is still growing, despite the scandals.)
Largest increase in memberships during the 1990s:
Roman Catholic church: 8.649 million to 62 million; 16.2% growth
Southern Baptist, 941,000 to 19.9 million; 5.0% growth
Latter Day Saints, 683,000 to 4.2 million; 19.4% growth
Assemblies of God, 400,000 to 2.56 million; 18.5 growth
Salvation Army, 287,000 to 415,000; 225.3% growth (!)
Fastest Growth rate, during the 1990s:
Salvation Army, 287,000 to 415,000; 225.3%
Wesleyan Church, 121,000 to 381,000; 46.9%
Presbyterian Church of America, 94,000 to 315,000; 42.4%
Church of God of Cleveland, TN, 279,000 to 974,000; 40.2%
Internat'l 4-Square Gospel, 92,000 to 347,000; 36.2%
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ, 226,000 to 1,439,000; 18.6%
Fastest shrinking churches:
United Churches of Christ, down 14.8% to 1,699,000
(turns out this IS the most liberal one)
Presbyterian Church, USA, down 11.6% to 3,141,000
Non-Denominational, non-Charismatic, down 7.5% to 1,117,000
United Methodist, down 6.6% to 10,350,000 (largest numerical drop)
American Baptist, down 5.7% to 1,767,000 (liberal northern baptists)
My source, NCC, does not include Russian Orthodox, or AME Zion, among others.
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