Albert Mohler provides commentary on the “Religious and Demographic Profile of Presbyterians, 2008”, published by the Presbyterian Panel, a research group that serves the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) [PCUSA] in a post entitled ‘Vanishing Christianity — A Lesson from the Presbyterians’.”
Here’s a link to a pdf of the report itself: Religious and Demographic Profile of Presbyterians, 2008: Findings from the Initial Survey of the 2009-2011 Presbyterian Panel
Early in the report are a couple of pages of ‘highlights’ culled from the document. These include:
- At least four in five Presbyterians from each group believe that the Bible is either “the word of God, to be interpreted in light of its historical and cultural context” or “the word of God, to be interpreted in light of its historical context and the Church’s teachings” (members, 80%; elders, 83%; pastors, 95%; specialized clergy, 96%). One in six laypeople (members, 16%; elders, 16%) believe the Bible should be taken literally, word for word. Only 5% of pastors and 3% of specialized clergy believe this (p. 6).
- Almost half of laypeople (members, 44%; elders, 48%) have had a conversion experience—“a turning point” when they committed themselves to Christ (p. 7).
- At least three in five laypeople have tried to encourage people to believe in Jesus Christ (members, 60%; elders, 71%) or in the prior year have invited people to attend worship at their congregation (members, 60%; elders, 77%) (p. 7).
- Presbyterians are somewhat divided along the theological spectrum. Two in five elders (42%) and one-third of members (34%) describe themselves as very conservative or conservative. Half of specialized clergy (52%) describe themselves as very liberal or liberal. Pastors are more evenly split (p. 7).
Some may wonder about the value of discussions over orthodoxy. They seem divisive and time-consuming. While they should never be our sole pursuit, they are necessary. One of the alternatives is being totally united in spiritual death.
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