Presbyterian
profile shows
little change in demographics
By John H.
Adams
The Layman
Online
Thursday, November
18, 2004
The Research
Services office of the Presbyterian Church (USA) recently released its
profile of the denomination's members, elders, ministers and specialized
clergy, officially titled, "Background Survey for the 2003-2005
Presbyterian Panel."
Nearly 6,000 members, elders and ministers were questioned in the survey
and more than 3,700 responded. It is from that group that Research
Services will periodically poll Presbyterians to gauge how they stand on
certain issues, such as the ordination of practicing homosexuals.
The composite of the panel shows little differences from past surveys.
Women are in the majority as church members. Most members are
Republicans, with ministers and especially specialized clergy having a
much higher proportion of Democrats.
The denomination continues to gray when compared with age ranges in the
United States. The PCUSA has a disproportionately higher percentage of
the population in age groups 45 and older. It has a disproporationately
lower percentage in the age groups from 14 to 44.
Elders and pastors are likely to hold more orthodox beliefs, with
specialized clergy being significantly more liberal.
These are some of the specific findings:
- Majorities of members (54%), elders (64%), and pastors (59%), and
42% of specialized clergy believe that "the account of Creation
presented in Genesis is a true account of how God created the world,"
but only 8%, 7%, 2%, and 1%, respectively, believe that that account
"is literally true, exactly as we find it in the Bible."
- 70% of members, 75% of elders, 71% of pastors, and 55% of
specialized clergy strongly agree or agree that "the
only absolute Truth for humankind is in Jesus Christ."
- 43% of members, 50% of elders, 39% of pastors, and 24% of other
clergy strongly agree or agree that "only
followers of Jesus Christ can be saved."
- Two-thirds of members (66%) and specialized clergy (66%), and
eight in ten elders (78%) and pastors (80%) strongly agree
or agree that "Jesus will return to earth some day."
- Among specialized clergy, 23% serve as faculty or staff at a
seminary or other educational institution; 26% as chaplains; 16% as
staff of a PCUSA body; 5% as staff of ecumenical or
non-denominational agencies; and 5% as counselors.
- Of ministers who graduated from non-PCUSA institutions, the
largest proportions went to Fuller (6% of all clergy), Gordon
Conwell (4%), Union (New York) (2%), Yale (1%), and Duke (1%).
- Two of every three PCUSA ministers (68%) received their B.D. or
M.Div. degree from a PCUSA-affiliated theological school. Overall,
one in six ministers graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary
(16%), and 3% to 9% received the B.D./M.Div. from each of the ten
other PCUSA seminaries (with the exception of Johnson C. Smith,
where fewer than 1% graduated).
- The media age is 55 years for members and for elders, 51 years
for pastors, and 54 years for specialized clergy.
- 61% of members are female, as are 50% of elders, 23% of pastors,
and 34% of specialized clergy.
- 97% of members, 96% of elders, 93% of pastors, and 91% of
specialized clergy list their race-ethnicity as white.
- Median annual family income is $72,000 for members, $72,600 for
elders, $65,200 for pastors, and $75,800 for specialized clergy.
- About 47% of specialized clergy, 27% of ministers, 17% of elders
and 18% of members described themselves as liberal to very liberal.
- About 43% of elders, 37% of members, 33% of pastors and 18% of
specialized clergy described themselves as conservative to
moderately conservative.
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