Membership loss nearly 1.7 million By John H. Adams The Presbyterian Layman Volume 33, Number 5 Posted September 29, 2000 Since 1965, when membership was at its peak, the Presbyterian Church (USA) has lost nearly 1.7 million members, according to data released recently by the denomination. The report, which includes membership as of Dec. 31, 1999, shows that the attrition rate remains high, averaging 1.7 percent a year since 1966, the first year of the decline. The decline in 1999 was 27,473, or 1.06 percent. In 1965, the two denominations comprising the current Presbyterian Church (USA) – the Presbyterian Church (U.S.) and the United Presbyterian Church (USA) – hit their peaks in membership. Combined, they had 4,254,597 members, and both had posted steady gains in previous years. But the number at the end of 1999 was 2,560,201 – a drop of 1,694,396 members, or 39.8 percent. The membership declines in the Presbyterian Church (USA) have generally corresponded with losses in other mainline denominations, but there have been years when losses were shaped principally by Presbyterian factors. For the former UPCUSA, the losses beginning in 1966 corresponded with a proposal in 1965 that the denomination adopt a new confession. The Confession of 1967 (the year it was adopted) was widely criticized because of its emphasis on social issues and weakened commitment to Biblical authority.

Respond to this article

Home · News · PLC Publications · The Presbyterian Layman Online Reviews · Archives · History of the Lay Committee · Feedback · Links