Preface to the 2003 Edition
Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches
The
Rev. Dr. Eileen W. Lindner, Editor
Editor’s Preface
As we go to press in the season of Advent 2002 we are grateful both for the longevity of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches and most especially for the diverse, dynamic, and ever changing expanse of American religious life on which it reports. The 2002 edition of the Yearbook was the first electronic edition and enabled the editorial process to be ongoing throughout the year. This 2003 edition is also provided in an electronic format that can be accessed by the unique pass code printed inside the back cover. Updated information in the electronic edition is reflected quarterly in January, March, June, and September.
Recognizing the Contributions of Many
The field of church statistics is complex and, of necessity, filled with inconsistencies. In recent years, electronic reporting has enabled greater amounts of time at each data collection level to raise questions and to recalculate and refine reports. We at the Yearbook are pleased to take our place in this important task of annually capturing a snapshot of American religious life. Reflection upon such findings tells us much about ourselves as well as the institutional religious life in a country which has been referred to as a "nation with the soul of a church."
Our colleagues in the compilation of each edition of the Yearbook are the thousands—perhaps tens of thousands—of individuals who keep church records. We rely and build upon the efforts of church pastors, deacons, secretaries, and vestrymen and women who carefully review and report church membership statistics and financial giving. We acknowledge the contributions of those at the congregational, regional, and denominational levels who respond cheerfully (most of the time!) and expeditiously (at least at our second request!) in furnishing us with the detailed data we require in the format that we request. We celebrate these individuals and their commitment to an often tedious, but always necessary, aspect of church life, for without them a Yearbook of this nature would be impossible. We hope that being a part of the record and analysis offered by the Yearbook contributes to a sense of satisfaction for a job well done.
This year the Reverend Dr. John Cunningham, Statistician for the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc., deserves particular recognition for his tireless efforts to reassess the methodological issues concerned in developing and reporting the membership figures for that church. Thanks to him, the Yearbook is reporting membership figures for the Convention for the first time in three years.
For various chapters of the Yearbook we are indebted to specific individuals for their assistance in gathering, analyzing, and corroborating the information we publish. As she has for the last several years, Nancy Merrill of the Association of Theological Schools furnished us with the data and analysis concerning seminary enrollments. Early in the year, Ric Justice assisted with the development of the www.electronicchurch.org listing. Our colleague Ernest Rubenstein, Librarian of the Interchurch Center in New York, is a regular and reliable consultant to us.
Likewise, Seth Kasten, Head of Reference and Research at the Burke Library of Union Theological Seminary in New York, is ever ready to offer assistance and counsel. Rev. Dale Dickerson of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America helped us to confirm the dates for the calendar. Cathy Lavendar of the United States Census Bureau ensures that the Statistical Abstract remains current with Yearbook data.
Our interest in the growing gap in data that can be attributed to the presence of megachurches quickly led us to Dr. Scott Thumma of Hartford Theological Seminary. Perhaps the most prolific of the select group of scholars who have studied the megachurch phenomenon, Dr. Thumma has contributed appreciably to the knowledge base regarding this form of local church.
Within our own editorial staff, Nathan Hanson contributed substantially to the work of this edition before leaving us in July to pursue his calling as a jazz musician full-time. Elizabeth During, a doctoral student in anthropology, joined us in August. Her gentle, diligent skills have been a welcome addition. Almost as closely associated with us as those we see each day are our colleagues and friends of long standing, John and Sylvia Ronsvalle, of the empty tomb, inc.
Nationally recognized for their steadfast attention to the patterns of church giving. The Ronsvalles are unfailingly gracious in providing assistance and in enabling our own analysis. At Abingdon we rely upon Rebekah Sharp to convert our manuscript into a publication, and on Paul Franklyn and Rebecca Burgoyne to be certain that the electronic edition is available to our readers.
On behalf of those readers, we extend our gratitude for the wisdom, skill, patience, and generosity of those we acknowledge here. No small group of individuals could hope to have the knowledge needed to compile a text as far ranging as the Yearbook. Our efforts, strengthened by the contributions of those named above, have led to the 2003 edition of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches; we wish to express our deepest thanks to each of them.
2003 Yearbook Highlights
● Reports on a record 216 national church bodies, which reflects the cultural and constitutional freedom of religion characteristic of the United States
● An overview of megachurches, a growing phenomenon of American church life that has been over-reported by journalists and under-studied by scholars. We offer a bibliography and a short excerpt from the work of Dr. Scott Thumma, whose research is foundational to the field.
● Signals that churches reporting through the Yearbook continue overall growth and involve over 150 million Americans. Six of the fifteen largest churches are historically African American churches.
● Reports on the financial contributions of 63 churches. Nearly 50 million members contributed more than $31 billion, up by $1.61 billion from the previous year. While the total amount contributed to churches has increased, the percent available for benevolences remains at a relatively low 15%.
● Notes from the Association of Theological Schools finding that, in the last five years, enrollments in the M. Div. Degree programs have increased 10%. Even more noteworthy is the 26% increase in enrollments in Masters of Arts degrees in various specialized areas. This suggests that while there is rising interest in theological education much of it may be in preparation for vocations other than ordination and parish ministry.
● Accurate and timely information through the Yearbook’s Internet edition, now in its second year. Readers are apprised of personnel changes, new area codes and email addresses, and the most recent data on church membership and finances through regular electronic updates.
● Information that the highest rates of membership growth reported are by the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), and the Assemblies of God, from the Pentecostal tradition. This data gives evidence of the diversity that flourishes in an environment of religious freedom.
The Yearbook's Editor, Eileen W. Lindner, Ph.D. is an American church historian and Presbyterian pastor.
