Finding Faith Today www.bu.edu/cpt/fft Bryan Stone, Principal Investigator
The Finding Faith Today (FFT) Project is a nationwide research project that surveys and interviews adults age 18 and over who, in the past 3 years (since Jan 1, 2011), have made a new declaration of faith or otherwise signaled that they adopted a religious faith as their own (or converted, or become a member, depending on the appropriate language), even if that happens to be a return to faith from an earlier commitment in their lives. An initial study was conducted on Christian populations in the United Kingdom over twenty years ago by Bishop John Finney, but surprisingly little research has been done since then. Finding Faith Today is an expansion and follow-up of that study and it will also have a comparative interfaith component that will look at those who become adherents of other major religious traditions in the U.S. The study asks about how persons come to faith, what they understand to be the most important factors during the process, and how they understand faith, including any changes in values, practices, and lifestyles that might have accompanied this process. Finding Faith Today
0% 20% 40% 3 Evangelical 3 37% Mainline 2 Respondents Christian Population by Theological Family Catholic/ Orthodox 2 30% U.S. Adherents Christian but unknown 9%
Finding Faith Today Respondents U.S. Population (2011) Race/Ethnicity Race/Ethnicity White White 89% Black/Af- Am Asian 1 Other 78% Black/Af- Am Asian Other Hispanic/Latino Respondents = 5.7%
Finding Faith Today Gender 40% Male Female 60%
Ways of Signaling New Faith Commitment Confirmation 1 Mainline Protestant Other 1 Confirmation Evangelical/Black Protestants Other 19% Membership 3 Baptism 20% Membership 50% Other 9% Catholic Membership 1 Baptism 1 Baptism 4 Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) 4 Confirmation 2
Instructional Classes? Yes No Evangelical Mainline Catholic 0% 50% 100% 5 4 70% 30% 9 9% 9 of those who took classes found them helpful. This did not vary at all from tradition to tradition.
Somewhat Negative, Family s Attitude Toward Christianity Neutral, 19% Very Negative, Somewhat Positive, 2 Mixed, Very Positive, 4 68% claimed to have a positive background (compared to 5 in the UK study 20 years ago). 7% claimed to have a negative background (compared to 7% in the UK). Those who claimed a neutral family attitude was considerably smaller (19%) than the 3 in the UK study. No appreciable differences among denominational families
Involvement in any organizations attached to a church during your youth? 3 30% 2 20% 1 Catholic/Orthodox Mainline Protestant Evangelical/Black Protestants 0%
Had you ever made a profession of faith prior to this? 100% 90% 80% 4 2 4 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 5 7 58% No Yes 20% 0% Evangelical Mainline Catholic
Evangelicals Mainline Catholic Not Always Christian (57%) Always Christian (4) Not Always Christian (3) Always Christian (6) Not Always Christian (3) Always Christian (6) Been less committed (89%) Been less committed (7) Been less committed (9) Constant Commitment (1) Constant Commitment (29%) Constant Commitment (9%) First-Timers (60%) Returnees First-Timers (40%) (4) Returnees (58%) First-Timers (6) Returnees (3)
When you re-committed or committed to faith, was it sudden or gradual? Evangelical Non-Evangelical Gradual 6 78% Sudden 3 2 Of those who did not consider themselves as always Christian: 6 described it as gradual 3 described it as sudden Of those who considered themselves as always Christian: 80% described it as gradual 20% described it as sudden
Female Male Main factor (other than God) in your faith commitment? Mainline Catholic/Orthodox Evangelical Religious activities A particular person (not clergy) 7% 1 8% An evangelistic event A minister Literature, drama, music Friends Other family 19% 17% 1 1 1 1 18% Television/Radio A particular congregation 20% 3 1 1 2 Your own children 1 1 1 8% 1 A dream or vision Parents 7% 8% Scripture 9% Spouse/partner 1 37% 2 4 1 2 0% 20% 40% 0% 20% 40% 0% 20% 40%
Female Male Other main factors in your faith commitment? Mainline Catholic/Orthodox Evangelical Religious activities A particular person (not clergy) An evangelistic event 0% 9% 8% 1 8% A minister 1 1 1 1 1 1 Literature, drama, music Friends 9% 9% 8% 8% Other family Television/Radio A particular congregation Your own children 8% 9% 1 1 7% 1 1 1 A dream or vision Parents 7% Scripture 1 1 1 1 1 18% Spouse/partner 8% 9% 0% 20% 0% 20% 0% 20%
Most important feature of the congregation Catholic 3 2 3 Welcome Preaching Mainline 3 30% 2 9% Worship Education/small groups Social Outreach Evangelicals 2 5 18% 0% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Active Seeker? Were you drawn in or an active seeker? Somewhat or Very Much Not at all or not so much Drawn in by Others Without Actively Seeking Catholic/Orthodox 1 8 Catholic/Orthodox 48% 4 8 4 Mainline Protestant 1 Mainline Protestant 5 7 59% Evangelical 20% Evangelical 3 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Right to Abortion Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 20% 27% 1 19% 1 Mainline 18% 20% 49% Evangelicals 2 3 1 1 1
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Gay Marriage Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 1 17% 2 3 7% Mainline 1 4 19% Evangelicals 20% 3 1 17%
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Gun Control Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 20% 28% 3 7% Mainline 20% 2 38% Evangelicals 8% 2 2 7% 30% 8%
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues War Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 1 38% 30% Mainline 1 4 27% 1 Evangelicals 9% 2 7% 40% 2
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Women s Equality Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 1 6 1 Mainline 7% 67% 2 Evangelicals 2 5 1
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Racial Justice Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 67% 1 Mainline 9% 60% 2 Evangelicals 17% 5 1
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Economic Justice for the Poor Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 17% 4 29% Mainline 1 4 3 Evangelicals 2 4 17%
Changes in attitudes toward Social Issues Care for the Natural Environment Became More Opposed Already opposed Became Opposed No opinion/don't know Became Supportive Already supportive Became More Supportive Catholic 1 5 2 Mainline 1 59% 2 Evangelicals 20% 9% 50% 1
Changes claimed by new Christians (5=Very Significant) 0.00 0.50 1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00 4.50 5.00 Beliefs Actions/Lifestyle Spiritual Practices Relations with Others Happier than before Evangelicals Mainline Catholic More hopeful than before Total
Do you participate in any other religious services or activities from other religions? of Evangelical Protestants 9% of Mainline Protestants of Roman Catholics
Spiritual or Religious? 0% 2 50% 7 1 Religious 1 2 2 Spiritual but not Religious 7% 1 Evangelical Protestant Both Spiritual and Religious 48% 6 6 Mainline Protestant Catholic-Orthodox Neither spiritual nor religious 0% Don't know 8% 8%