FACT Survey of US Eastern Orthodox Churches

Alexei Krindatch ([email protected] Krindatch ([email protected]))Ten Facts about US Eastern Orthodox Ten Facts about US Eastern Orthodox

Churches from the FACT studyChurches from the FACT study

FACT Survey of US Eastern Orthodox ChurchesFACT Survey of US Eastern Orthodox Churches US total: about 1,900 Eastern Orthodox parishes

(congregations) with 817,000 adherents. They belong to 15 national Orthodox Church bodies (“denominations”)

45% of all adherents of US Eastern Orthodox Churches live in 5 states: NY (14%), CA (10%), IL (8%), PA (6.5%), MA (6%

Three major Orthodox Church bodies participated in FACT survey: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA), Orthodox Church in America (OCA), Antiochian Orthodox Christian Archdiocese (AOCA)

GOA, OCA and AOCA account for 70% of all US Orthodox parishes and for 80% of all US Orthodox Church adherents

FACT surveys were sent to all GOA, OCA, AOCA parishes 370 parishes completed questionnaires – 30% return rate

Fact 1Fact 1 Orthodox parishes are much more Orthodox parishes are much more “urban” than Roman Catholic parishes and “urban” than Roman Catholic parishes and Protestant congregationsProtestant congregations “How would you

describe the location of your church building?”

26%

38%

18%

13%

12%

23%

8%

41%

13%

15%

6%

53%

16%

22%

8%

40%

Rural area or village or townunder 10,000

Town or city 10,000-50,000

Downtown or old residentialarea in city over 50,000

Suburbs around city over50,000

EasternOrthodoxChurchesRoman CatholicChurch

OldlineProtestantChurchesEvangelicalProtestantChurches

Fact 2Fact 2 Other than English languages are Other than English languages are still much more present in Eastern still much more present in Eastern

Orthodox than in Roman Catholic and Orthodox than in Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches Protestant Churches

% congregations which hold worship services in other than English language or have bilingual services

46%

25%

5%

8%

Eastern Orthodox Churches

Roman Catholic Church

Oldline Protestant denominations

Evangelical Protestant denominations

Fact 3Fact 3 Compared to Protestant Compared to Protestant congregations and Roman Catholic congregations and Roman Catholic parishes, demography of Eastern parishes, demography of Eastern Orthodox parishes is different:Orthodox parishes is different:Members of Orthodox churches are better educated (%

of persons with college degree) Members of Orthodox churches spend longer time

commuting to their churchesEastern Orthodox parishes are less “female” than

Roman Catholic parishes or Protestant congregationsThere are fewer senior (65+) members among

Orthodox parishioners than among Roman Catholics or Oldline Protestants

Surprisingly high % of converts from other religions

“Of your total regular participants estimate the percent who are…” (median

%)Category of members East

. Orth.

Rom.Cath.

Oldln.Prot.

Evng.Prot.

Senior adults, age 65 and older 20 25 34 17

Female 55 60 60 60College graduates 60 40 40 25Living within 15 minutes of parish’s church building

40 83 85 60

Live-long members of denomination 70 80 50 40

Fact 4Fact 4 Theologically Orthodox Theologically Orthodox

Christians are much more conservative Christians are much more conservative than Roman Catholics or Oldline than Roman Catholics or Oldline

ProtestantsProtestants “How would you describe theological outlook of

the majority of your regularly participating adults?”

74% 21% 5%

47% 34% 17%

50% 41% 9%

70% 26% 4%

Evangelical Protestants

Oldline Protestants

Roman Catholics

Eastern Orthodox

Conservative (somewhat or very) ModerateLiberal (somewhat or very)

Fact 5Fact 5 Being theologically Being theologically conservative, Eastern Orthodox conservative, Eastern Orthodox

parishes are “technologically” – at parishes are “technologically” – at least - as advanced as their Western least - as advanced as their Western

Christian counterparts.Christian counterparts.

“Which of the following technologies does your

congregation use on a regular basis?” (%)

8%

31%

7%

87%

91%

3%

22%

4%

76%

91%

7%

35%

9%

69%

91%

14%

45%

14%

69%

90%

E-mail

Website

Blogs

Facebook

Podcasts

EasternOrthodoxChurchesRomanCatholicChurchMainlineProtestantChurchesEvangelicalProtestantChurches

Fact 6Fact 6 The Eastern Orthodox The Eastern Orthodox Christians do not communicate much Christians do not communicate much with religiously “others:” the level of with religiously “others:” the level of ecumenical involvement of Eastern ecumenical involvement of Eastern Orthodox parishes is significantly Orthodox parishes is significantly lower than among Roman Catholic lower than among Roman Catholic

parishes or Protestant congregations parishes or Protestant congregations

“During past 12 months, has your parish / congregation been involved in any of the

following ecumenical or interfaith activities?” % reporting "No"

41%

66%

59%

72%

26%

53%

47%

47%

20%

35%

35%

23%

38%

48%

48%

45%

Worship services

,Joint celebrations, fairscultural events

Educational or fellowshipactivities

Community service activities


Fact 7Fact 7 Reportedly, worship in Eastern Reportedly, worship in Eastern Orthodox parishes is more “powerful” Orthodox parishes is more “powerful”

than in Roman Catholic and Protestant than in Roman Catholic and Protestant churcheschurches

% of parishes / congregations reporting that following describe their week-end worship

service “very well”

39%

42%

43%

70%

22%

22%

31%

28%

29%

26%

31%

24%

37%

33%

39%

27%

Worship is reverent

Worship is joyful

Worship is inspirational

Worship is thought provoking


Fact 8Fact 8 In their worship services Eastern In their worship services Eastern Orthodox parishes sing a lot, but they Orthodox parishes sing a lot, but they don’t use musical instrumentsdon’t use musical instruments or “video or “video

effects”effects” % of parishes / congregations reporting that

following is “often” or “always” a part of their regular worship services

1%

0%

1%

29%

90%

6%

25%

17%

74%

78%

30%

20%

22%

71%

66%

55%

40%

49%

50%

42%

Choir

Organ

Drums, percussioninstruments

Electric guitar, bass

Visual projection


Fact 9Fact 9 Financial health of Orthodox Parishes is Financial health of Orthodox Parishes is worse compared to Catholic parishes and worse compared to Catholic parishes and

Protestant CongregationsProtestant Congregations “How would you describe current (2010) “How would you describe current (2010)

financial health of your parish / congregation?” financial health of your parish / congregation?”

31%

45%

24%

40%

40%

20%

37%

40%

23%

44%

40%

16%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

EasternOrthodoxparishes

RomanCatholicparishes

MainlineProtestant

congregations

EvangelicalProtestant

congregations

% of parishes / congregations reporting:

In difficulty

Tight, butwe manageGood orexcellent

Fact 10Fact 10 Good news to conclude: Eastern Good news to conclude: Eastern Orthodox parishes grow in attendance Orthodox parishes grow in attendance

more rapidly than Evangelical Protestant more rapidly than Evangelical Protestant congregationscongregations

Change (%) in median average attendance: 2005-2010

18%

-2%

-1%

12%

-30% -20% -10% 0% 10% 20% 30%EasternOrthodoxChurchesRomanCatholicChurchMainlineProtestantChurchesEvangelicalProtestantChurches

New Source of Information on US New Source of Information on US Orthodox Churches (available on Orthodox Churches (available on

Amazon.com)Amazon.com)

Look for more information on Orthodox Church life in US at:

www.orthodoxreality.orgwww.orthodoxreality.org

or write me to [email protected] Now is time for difficult questions: please, ask!

Documents

FACT Survey of US Eastern Orthodox Churches