2. What is FACT (“Faith Communities Today”) Study?
Established in 2000, FACT is ongoing survey-based
research project which examines various aspects of life of
American religious congregations
FACT’s work is conducted and publicized by a multi-faith
group of religious researchers. FACT partnership includes
researchers from 25+ faith groups and denominations.
FACT projects are coordinated by Hartford Institute for
Religion Research
The US Orthodox Churches have been and are full-fledged
members of FACT partnership from its very inception
Detailed info about FACT work, projects and findings:
www.faithcommunitiestoday.org
3. What is FACT 2010 study?
Faith Communities Today 2010 national survey is most
recent major study of American congregations
accomplished by FACT partnership
11,000+ randomly selected religious congregations
representing 32 of the country’s largest denominations and
faith traditions completed standard questionnaires
FACT 2010 surveys were sent to all GOA, OCA, AOCA
parishes. 370 parishes completed questionnaires – 30%
return rate (including 85 AOCA parishes – 34% return)
For various subject-oriented reports from FACT 2010 study
look at: http://faithcommunitiestoday.org/fact-2010
4. Fact 1 Orthodox parishes are much more “urban” than
Roman Catholic parishes and Protestant congregations
“How would you describe the location of your church
building?”
13%
Rural area or village or town 41%
Eastern
Orthodox under 10,000 53%
Churches 40%
18%
Roman Catholic 8%
Church Town or city 10,000-50,000
6%
8%
Mainline 38%
Protestant Downtown or old residential 23%
Churches
area in city over 50,000 15%
Evangelical 22%
Protestant 26%
Churches Suburbs around city over 12%
50,000 13%
16%
5. Fact 2 Other than English languages are still much
more present in US Eastern Orthodox than in
Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches
% congregations which hold worship services in other
than English language or have bilingual services
Eastern Orthodox Churches 46%
Roman Catholic Church 25%
Mainline Protestant denominations 5%
Evangelical Protestant denominations 8%
6. But the usage of other-than-English languages
varies significantly among major US Orthodox
Churches
% parishes which hold worship services in other than
English language or have bilingual services
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
AOCA 23%
OCA 19%
GOA 78%
7. Fact 3 Compared to Protestant congregations
and Roman Catholic parishes, demography of
membership in Orthodox parishes is different:
Members of Orthodox churches are better educated:
Orthodox parishes have higher % of persons with college
degree
Members of Orthodox churches spend longer time
commuting to their churches
Orthodox parishes are less “female” than Roman
Catholic parishes or Protestant congregations
There are fewer senior (65+) members among Orthodox
parishioners than among members of Roman Catholic or
Mainline Protestant Churches
8. “Of your total regular participants estimate the
percent who are…”
Average % of various categories of members:
Category of members East. Rom. Mnln. Evng.
Orth. Cath. Prot. Prot.
College graduates 53 40 43 31
Living within 15 minutes
of parish’s church building 46 73 75 55
Female 54 57 61 57
Senior adults: age 65 and
older 26 30 38 24
New to congregation /
parish in the past 5 years 23 18 19 30
9. Demography of GOA, OCA, AOCA members is
also quite different
Average % of various categories of members for
GOA, OCA, AOCA parishes nationwide
Category of parishioners AOCA GOA OCA
College graduates 57 54 49
Living within 15 minutes of
parish’s church building 47 53 34
Female 53 56 56
Senior adults: age 65 and older 21 30 26
New to parish in the past 5 years 30 15 27
Converts to Orthodoxy 50 26 48
10. Fact 4 Theologically Orthodox parishes are much
more conservative than Roman Catholic or Oldline
Protestant congregations
“How would you describe theological outlook of the majority
of your regularly participating adults?”
Conservative (somewhat or very) Moderate
Liberal (somewhat or very)
Eastern Orthodox 70% 26% 4%
Roman Catholics 50% 41% 9%
Oldline Protestants 47% 34% 17%
Evangelical Protestants 74% 21% 5%
11. There is not much difference between AOCA,
GOA and OCA parishes in terms of their
“theological preferences” (conservative vers. liberal)
“How would you describe theological outlook of the majority
of your regularly participating adults?”
Conservative (somewhat or very) Moderate
Liberal (somewhat or very)
AOCA 74% 22% 4%
GOA 65% 30% 5%
OCA 74% 22% 4%
12. Fact 5 But there is significant difference between
AOCA, GOA and OCA churches in how much
emphasis they place on various programs
% of parishes reporting that following programs and
activities are given “a lot of emphasis”
74%
Sunday school 80%
52%
AOCA
44%
parishes Bible studies 62%
28%
44%
Music programs 25%
GOA 41%
parishes 52%
Religious formation classes 45%
41%
53%
OCA Youth programs 68%
parishes 27%
35%
Community service activities 40%
23%
13. Fact 6 Compared to Roman Catholic and
Protestant Churches, the Orthodox Churches
do not communicate much with religiously
“others:” the level of ecumenical involvement
of Orthodox parishes is significantly lower
than among Roman Catholic parishes or
Protestant congregations
14. “During past 12 months, has your parish / congregation
been involved in any of the following ecumenical or
interfaith activities?”
% reporting "Yes" 28%
53%
Worship services
Eastern 77%
55%
Orthodox
Churches 41%
,Joint celebrations, fairs 53%
Roman
cultural events 65%
Catholic 52%
Church
34%
Mainline Educational or fellowship 47%
Protestant activities 65%
Churches 52%
Evangelical 59%
Protestant 74%
Community service activities
Churches 80%
62%
15. Overall GOA parishes have higher level of ecumenical
involvement than AOCA or OCA churches
“During past 12 months, has your parish been involved in
any of the following ecumenical or interfaith activities?”
% reporting "Yes"
17%
Worship services 36%
24%
AOCA
parishes 40%
,Joint celebrations, fairs
46%
cultural events
34%
GOA
28%
parishes Educational or fellowship
43%
activities
28%
OCA 59%
parishes
Community service activities 62%
55%
16. Fact 7 Reportedly, worship in Orthodox parishes is
more “powerful” than in Roman Catholic and
Protestant churches
% of parishes / congregations reporting that following
describe their week-end worship service “very well”
70%
Eastern 28%
Worship is reverent
Orthodox 24%
Churches 27%
43%
Roman
31%
Catholic Worship is joyful 31%
Church 39%
Mainline 42%
Protestant 22%
Worship is inspirational
Churches 26%
Evangelical 33%
Protestant 39%
22%
Churches Worship is thought provoking 29%
37%
17. Reportedly, worship in AOCA parishes is more
“powerful” than in GOA and OCA churches
% of parishes reporting that following describe their week-
end worship service “very well”
80%
Worship is reverent 66%
AOCA
69%
parishes
50%
Worship is joyful 36%
GOA 47%
parishes 51%
Worship is inspirational 34%
47%
OCA
parishes 43%
Worship is thought provoking 34%
42%
18. Fact 8. AOCA parishes have higher expectations
with regard to religious practices of their members
than GOA and OCA churches
% of parishes reporting that they place “a lot of emphasis”
on following personal and family religious practices
52%
Personal prayer 43%
AOCA
49%
parishes
42%
Family prayer 37%
GOA 36%
parishes 49%
with children
40%
about faith
41%
OCA
parishes 56%
Fasting 43%
50%
19. Fact 9 Financial health of Orthodox Parishes is worse
compared to Catholic parishes and Protestant
Congregations
“How would you describe current (2010) financial health of
your parish / congregation?”
% of parishes / congregations reporting:
100%
In difficulty 20% 16%
24% 23%
80%
Tight, but 60% 40% 40%
40%
we manage 45%
40%
Good or
excellent 20% 40% 37% 44%
31%
0%
Eastern Roman Mainline Evangelical
Orthodox Catholic Protestant Protestant
parishes parishes congregationscongregations
20. Compared to GOA and OCA churches, Antiochian
parishes report better financial situation.
“How would you describe current (2010) financial health of
your parish? ”
% of parishes / congregations reporting:
In
100%
difficulty 15%
29% 23%
80%
Tide but
we 60% 47%
47%
manage 42%
Good / 40%
Excellent
20% 38%
29% 30%
0%
AOCA parishes GOA parishes OCA parishes
21. GOA churches were hit harder by financial crisis than
the OCA and AOCA parishes
“How would you assess the impact of 2008-09 crisis on
your
parish’s staff and operations?”
% of parishes reporting “Moderate or Major impact” on
each of following 24%
Staff salary reduction / freeze 37%
AOCA 19%
parishes 5%
Staff layoffs or furloughs 13%
5%
GOA
parishes 21%
Funds available from
39%
investments
28%
OCA
parishes Capital campaign or building
28%
38%
program
26%
22. Members of GOA churches were also hit harder by
financial crisis than the OCA and AOCA parishioners
“How would you assess the impact of 2008-09 economic
crisis on the members of your parish?”
% of parishes reporting “Moderate or Major impact” on
Requests of
each of following 19%
parishioners
35%
AOCA for cash
parishes assistance 18%
Requests of 19%
GOA parishioners
32%
parishes for pastoral
counseling 20%
OCA Unemployment
31%
parishes among parish 36%
members 32%
23. Fact 10 US Orthodox parishes are as involved in recruiting
new members as Catholic parishes or Mainline Protestant
churches. But they lag far behind Evangelicals churches.
“Overall, to what extent are your parish’s / congregation’s
participants involved in recruiting new members?”
% of parishes / congregations reporting:
100%
Not at all / A
26%
little 80% 41% 39% 41%
Some 60%
44%
40% 40% 44% 40%
Quite a bit /
A lot 20%
30%
19% 17% 19%
0%
US Orthodox Roman Mainline Evangelical
parishes Catholic Protestant Protestant
parishes congregationscongregations
24. The stereotype about particular missionary zeal of
Antiochian churches seems to be exagerrated.
“Overall, to what extent are your parish’s / congregation’s
participants involved in recruiting new members?”
% of parishes / congregations reporting:
Not at all 100%
/
A little
32%
80% 40%
Some 46%
60%
Quite a 50% 39%
bit / A lot 40% 37%
20%
18% 17% 21%
0%
AOCA parishes GOA parishes OCA parishes
26. A few useful web-sites on church-life in USA:
www.orthodoxreality.org : about American
Orthodox Churches today
www.orthodoxhistory.org: about history of
US Orthodox Churches
www.usreligioncensus.org: county level
data on religious affiliation, membership
and attendance in USA
www.hirr.hartsem.edu: vast and diverse
information on various (mainly
Christian) religious communities in USA
27. If you are back home and have
questions, please, write me at
akrindatch@aol.com
Now is time for “difficult” questions:
please ask!