Posted on: Saturday, October 12, 2002
EXPRESSIONS OF FAITH
Count hearts, not heads
By Leo Sandon
A study of U.S. religious groups was published last month by the Glenmary Research Center, which has been gathering statistics each decade since 1972. "Religious Congregations and Membership in the United States: 2000" is the first to include data on non-Christian groups other than Jews.
According to a New York Times article by Laurie Goodstein, "Socially conservative churches that demand high commitment from their members grew faster than other religious denominations in the last decade."
No news flash there.
What was arresting was the comment by sociologist Ken Sanchagrin, director of Glenmary: "I was astounded to see that by and large the growing churches are those that we ordinarily call conservative. And when I looked at those that were declining, most were moderate or liberal churches."
I am almost astounded at Sanchagrin's astonishment. We are talking about a trend of more than 30 years here.
In 1972 the late Dean M. Kelly wrote "Why Conservative Churches Are Growing." Kelly, a Methodist minister and expert in church-state relations, is a member of the executive staff of the National Council of Churches. His book title was misleading; it wasn't so much about conservative churches as about mainline or "ecumenical religion" that seemed to be comparatively moribund.
In a similar mode, I will not focus on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the fastest-growing U.S. denomination, or on the runner-up conservative Christian churches. Neither will I speak of sociological causes of growth in some groups. Nor will I critique growth as the central communal value. I will even forgo cautioning about the accuracy of membership data.
Cutting to the chase: A religious community has a future if it engages the ultimate questions of human existence and helps give meaning to people's lives through an integrated system of beliefs and practices. Such groups will not be too hasty about admitting members without preparation nor will they be remiss in dismissing those who fail to live up to standards. There must be a decent consensus regarding matters of belief, lifestyle and heritage, or the ability in a postmodern world to take tradition itself seriously. What does it mean to be a Christian of the Reformed tradition? Taking the tradition seriously need not mean taking it literally or accepting it uncritically.
Do these things and don't worry if you cannot, in good conscience, wave your index finger and proclaim "one way." Remember that not all piety is noisy and constantly exuberant. Sometimes the quiet "sympathizing tear" is as much to the point as the 13th repetition of a praise chorus. Quiet is not to be equated with lifeless.
Attend to these matters, and growth issues will take care of themselves. Statistics are not the only way growth is measured. There surely will be an increase among us of the love of God and neighbor. Growth enough.
Leo Sandon is distinguished teaching professor of religion and American studies at Florida State University.
