Christianity Today Looks at Professor Scott Thumma’s Work on Religion Census

Photo of Professor Scott Thumma

Christianity Today recently published a comprehensive look at the 2020 U.S. Religion Census, interviewing Professor Scott Thumma about his work in identifying the nondenominational faith communities across the country.

Calling this an “impossible task,” Professor Thumma said his team of researchers have counted 35,496 independent congregations, though he is certain that is an undercount.

“The denominational reality is getting significantly harder to make sense of,” Professor Thumma told Christianity Today. “With fuzzy identities, and quasi-nondenominational churches, and churches dropping the denominational name. … It was always difficult. Incredibly difficult. But it’s gotten more difficult. The U.S. Religion Census is the best thing we have, and I’m a strong proponent of it.”

The article, U.S. Religion Census Maps Changing Churches, Declining Denominations, can be found at this link.

 

 

 

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