Canada: Liberal churches in decline while orthodox ones grow
BartSimpson @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:00 pm
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/20 ... in-canada/
Liberal churches in decline while orthodox ones grow, says study of Protestants in Canada
$1:
Researchers looked at 22 Protestant churches in Canada
A study of Protestant churches in Canada has found that growing churches tend to be more orthodox, while shrinking ones are theologically liberal.
Terry Mattingly, author of the Get Religion blog, covered the findings of the study, which appeared in the peer-reviewed journal, Review of Religion Research.
The researchers, David Millard Haskell, Kevin N Flatt and Stephanie Burgoyne, looked at 22 mainline Protestant churches in Canada. Nine of the churches were growing in attendance, while 13 were declining. The researchers found that when other factors were controlled for, ”the theological conservatism of both attendees and clergy emerged as important factors in predicting church growth.”
In the growing churches, 93 per cent of clergy and 83 per cent of the congregation affirmed that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb. In the declining churches, only 56 per cent of clergy and 67 per cent of the congregation affirmed this.
In growing congregations, all the clergy interviewed said it was crucial to encourage non-Christians to convert. In declining ones, only half the clergy agreed.
The study found that, in growing churches, pastors were even more orthodox than their congregations. In declining ones, the pastors were even more liberal.
Growing congregations were likely to be younger and have more children.
Haskell told Mattingly: “”If you believe that Jesus is THE path to the best life in this life, and eternal life in the next, then you’re going to practice your faith differently than someone who believes that all religions are basically the same. … As it turns out, doctrines really do have consequences.”
A study of Protestant churches in Canada has found that growing churches tend to be more orthodox, while shrinking ones are theologically liberal.
Terry Mattingly, author of the Get Religion blog, covered the findings of the study, which appeared in the peer-reviewed journal, Review of Religion Research.
The researchers, David Millard Haskell, Kevin N Flatt and Stephanie Burgoyne, looked at 22 mainline Protestant churches in Canada. Nine of the churches were growing in attendance, while 13 were declining. The researchers found that when other factors were controlled for, ”the theological conservatism of both attendees and clergy emerged as important factors in predicting church growth.”
In the growing churches, 93 per cent of clergy and 83 per cent of the congregation affirmed that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb. In the declining churches, only 56 per cent of clergy and 67 per cent of the congregation affirmed this.
In growing congregations, all the clergy interviewed said it was crucial to encourage non-Christians to convert. In declining ones, only half the clergy agreed.
The study found that, in growing churches, pastors were even more orthodox than their congregations. In declining ones, the pastors were even more liberal.
Growing congregations were likely to be younger and have more children.
Haskell told Mattingly: “”If you believe that Jesus is THE path to the best life in this life, and eternal life in the next, then you’re going to practice your faith differently than someone who believes that all religions are basically the same. … As it turns out, doctrines really do have consequences.”
This makes sense. If your denomination doesn't really believe in anything then why go to church on Sunday instead of watching hockey?
And if the church is more interested in leftist politics than Christianity then why not just donate to the leftist political party of your choice instead of a failing church?
The ultimate church-killer comes when the leftist pastor promotes the idea that Christianity is just as bad as someone like Derby or PD would say it is. Seems logical to me that the parishioners of such a church would end up agreeing with the pastor and leaving Christianity and the church.
Lemmy @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:34 pm
W
ShepherdsDog @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:38 pm
Yeah. Jesuits are just so uneducated.
BartSimpson @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:42 pm
ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
Yeah. Jesuits are just so uneducated.
Thank you for beating me to it!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_J ... stitutions
![[B-o]](./images/smilies/drinkup.gif "Drink up")
Lemmy @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:43 pm
?
BeaverFever @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:48 pm
BartSimpson BartSimpson:
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2016/12/14/liberal-churches-in-decline-while-orthodox-ones-grow-says-study-of-protestants-in-canada/
Liberal churches in decline while orthodox ones grow, says study of Protestants in Canada
This makes sense. If your denomination doesn't really believe in anything then why go to church on Sunday instead of watching hockey?
And if the church is more interested in leftist politics than Christianity then why not just donate to the leftist political party of your choice instead of a failing church?
The ultimate church-killer comes when the leftist pastor promotes the idea that Christianity is just as bad as someone like Derby or PD would say it is. Seems logical to me that the parishioners of such a church would end up agreeing with the pastor and leaving Christianity and the church.
Liberal churches in decline while orthodox ones grow, says study of Protestants in Canada
$1:
Researchers looked at 22 Protestant churches in Canada
A study of Protestant churches in Canada has found that growing churches tend to be more orthodox, while shrinking ones are theologically liberal.
Terry Mattingly, author of the Get Religion blog, covered the findings of the study, which appeared in the peer-reviewed journal, Review of Religion Research.
The researchers, David Millard Haskell, Kevin N Flatt and Stephanie Burgoyne, looked at 22 mainline Protestant churches in Canada. Nine of the churches were growing in attendance, while 13 were declining. The researchers found that when other factors were controlled for, ”the theological conservatism of both attendees and clergy emerged as important factors in predicting church growth.”
In the growing churches, 93 per cent of clergy and 83 per cent of the congregation affirmed that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb. In the declining churches, only 56 per cent of clergy and 67 per cent of the congregation affirmed this.
In growing congregations, all the clergy interviewed said it was crucial to encourage non-Christians to convert. In declining ones, only half the clergy agreed.
The study found that, in growing churches, pastors were even more orthodox than their congregations. In declining ones, the pastors were even more liberal.
Growing congregations were likely to be younger and have more children.
Haskell told Mattingly: “”If you believe that Jesus is THE path to the best life in this life, and eternal life in the next, then you’re going to practice your faith differently than someone who believes that all religions are basically the same. … As it turns out, doctrines really do have consequences.”
A study of Protestant churches in Canada has found that growing churches tend to be more orthodox, while shrinking ones are theologically liberal.
Terry Mattingly, author of the Get Religion blog, covered the findings of the study, which appeared in the peer-reviewed journal, Review of Religion Research.
The researchers, David Millard Haskell, Kevin N Flatt and Stephanie Burgoyne, looked at 22 mainline Protestant churches in Canada. Nine of the churches were growing in attendance, while 13 were declining. The researchers found that when other factors were controlled for, ”the theological conservatism of both attendees and clergy emerged as important factors in predicting church growth.”
In the growing churches, 93 per cent of clergy and 83 per cent of the congregation affirmed that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb. In the declining churches, only 56 per cent of clergy and 67 per cent of the congregation affirmed this.
In growing congregations, all the clergy interviewed said it was crucial to encourage non-Christians to convert. In declining ones, only half the clergy agreed.
The study found that, in growing churches, pastors were even more orthodox than their congregations. In declining ones, the pastors were even more liberal.
Growing congregations were likely to be younger and have more children.
Haskell told Mattingly: “”If you believe that Jesus is THE path to the best life in this life, and eternal life in the next, then you’re going to practice your faith differently than someone who believes that all religions are basically the same. … As it turns out, doctrines really do have consequences.”
This makes sense. If your denomination doesn't really believe in anything then why go to church on Sunday instead of watching hockey?
And if the church is more interested in leftist politics than Christianity then why not just donate to the leftist political party of your choice instead of a failing church?
The ultimate church-killer comes when the leftist pastor promotes the idea that Christianity is just as bad as someone like Derby or PD would say it is. Seems logical to me that the parishioners of such a church would end up agreeing with the pastor and leaving Christianity and the church.
As usual you're on the spectrum between stupid and dishonest. Where in the article is "leftist" or "politics" mentioned? Where in the article does it suggest the pastor promoted the idea that Christianity is bad??? Breitbart fake news propaganda strikes again.
People who take the bible as literal truth are more devout and dedicated than people who are smart enough to understand it is allegory. Shocking.
BartSimpson @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 5:51 pm
Lemmy Lemmy:
ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
Yeah. Jesuits are just so uneducated.
Where are they? You just don't see so many Jesuits around these days. Wonder why?
You don't see that many Jesuits around for the exact reason mentioned in the article. The Roman Catholic Church outside of Africa and Asia has gone liberal and in those liberal regions their numbers are declining.
http://nineteensixty-four.blogspot.com/ ... raphy.html
BartSimpson @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:04 pm
BeaverFever BeaverFever:
BartSimpson BartSimpson:
This makes sense. If your denomination doesn't really believe in anything then why go to church on Sunday instead of watching hockey?
And if the church is more interested in leftist politics than Christianity then why not just donate to the leftist political party of your choice instead of a failing church?
The ultimate church-killer comes when the leftist pastor promotes the idea that Christianity is just as bad as someone like Derby or PD would say it is. Seems logical to me that the parishioners of such a church would end up agreeing with the pastor and leaving Christianity and the church.
And if the church is more interested in leftist politics than Christianity then why not just donate to the leftist political party of your choice instead of a failing church?
The ultimate church-killer comes when the leftist pastor promotes the idea that Christianity is just as bad as someone like Derby or PD would say it is. Seems logical to me that the parishioners of such a church would end up agreeing with the pastor and leaving Christianity and the church.
As usual you're on the spectrum between stupid and dishonest. Where in the article is "leftist" or "politics" mentioned? Where in the article does it suggest the pastor promoted the idea that Christianity is bad??? Breitbart fake news propaganda strikes again.
People who take the bible as literal truth are more devout and dedicated than people who are smart enough to understand it is allegory. Shocking.
You don't go to church. I do.
I grew up Catholic and stopped going because it was a bunch of legalistic rituals and no one evidenced any actual faith. The RCC doesn't believe in God or Jesus anymore and the current pope is causing no end of strife in the RCC with his Latin American socialism and anti-European attitudes.
Then I attended a United Methodist congregation that had over 500 members in 1986. Then the conservative and evangelical pastor was removed by the conference and replaced with a liberal, pacifist, womanizing hypocrite. He's since been replaced twice and the most recent pastor questions the deity of Jesus and the congregation now numbers about fifty and the conference is looking to sell the church property.
Currently I attend a mostly conservative and evangelical UCC church and while it's been hanging in there the pacifism and anti-Americanism of the UCC pervades the place and I don't attend regularly anymore.
Donations also dropped from a high of ~$450,000 in 2009 to $210,000 this last year. People like myself are donating elsewhere. I donate money to CKA that used to go to my church. The NRA is also getting a lot more from me than they used to.
Leftism in the church is the death of the church. Look at any major liberal denomination anywhere in the world and that holds true.
Lemmy @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:06 pm
A
BeaverFever @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:14 pm
Well I can't speak to your anecdotes but Jesus was pretty leftist you know. Im pretty sure he would be anti-American if he ever came back from his home planet or the centre of the earth or wherever he lives now. Wait was he from the lost city of Atlantis? I'm pretty sure I read that he lives in Atlantis. I might be confusing him with Aquaman. Which is the one you get killed for trying to draw, is that Aquaman too?
BeaverFever @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:20 pm
Lemmy Lemmy:
Again, you're rationalizing a logical theory. But it's incorrect. Coincidence is not causation. Religion is in decline because people can't, in the age of information, be expected to believe fairy tales. It's got absolutely nothing to do with the political spectrum, which has little to with ANY of the things people attempt to use it to explain.
^ what he said. The growth in Orthodox congregations is probably due to those horrible horrible immigrants you hate so much.
xerxes @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 6:35 pm
Lemmy Lemmy:
ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:
Yeah. Jesuits are just so uneducated.
Where are they? You just don't see so many Jesuits around these days. Wonder why?
The current Pope is quite the prominent Jesuit.
ShepherdsDog @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 7:58 pm
Odd thing is the Jesuits were never supposed to reach that position, as they took an oath to be servants of the office.
Freakinoldguy @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 9:08 pm
Lemmy Lemmy:
Religion is in decline because people can't, in the age of information, be expected to believe fairy tales.
Religion be damned. People believe what they want to believe and information has nothing to do with it. All you have to do is to have watched the last Canadian and American elections to see that fairy tale point proven.
herbie @ Wed Dec 14, 2016 10:02 pm
$1:
In the growing churches, 93 per cent of clergy and 83 per cent of the congregation affirmed that Jesus rose from the dead, leaving an empty tomb. In the declining churches, only 56 per cent of clergy and 67 per cent of the congregation affirmed this.
WTF has that to do with "liberal"? If half the pastors don't believe in the basic tenant of Christianity they must be counting some other religion to make up the claim of 'liberal'.