During the past two decades, the Science of Congregation Studies has blossomed significantly in the UK, as well as within the USA and Australia. In this illuminating and thought-provoking volume, Leslie J. Francis’ research group draws on the Signs of Growth Survey conducted throughout the Anglican Diocese of Southwark to illustrate how the strength of combined qualitative and quantitative research methods can draw on the insights of psychological theory, sociological theory, and empirical theology to illuminate pressing questions of relevance to the sociology of religion, psychology of religion, practical theology and pastoral studies. Individual chapters discuss the missing generation of young people, the greying generation aged seventy and over, how occasional churchgoers express belonging and commitment, connections between psychological type and religious motivation, and the distinctive characteristics of growing congregations.
Table of Content
Preface
1 Shaping congregation studies: A scientific approach
Leslie J. Francis and David W. Lankshear
2 Profiling adult churchgoers within the Diocese of Southwark: An overview
David W. Lankshear and Leslie J. Francis
3 The missing generation: Profiling churchgoers in their twenties
David W. Lankshear and Leslie J. Francis
4 ‘The people are friendly’: Listening to 20- to 29-year-old churchgoers
Jenny Rolph, Leslie J. Francis, and Paul W. Rolph
5 The greying generation: Profiling churchgoers aged 70 and over
Albert Jewell, Leslie J. Francis, and David W. Lankshear
6 ‘I don’t need encouraging, it’s part of my life’: Listening to churchgoers aged 80 and over
Paul W. Rolph, Jenny Rolph, and Leslie J. Francis
7 Who goes to church in their twenties? A comparison of occasional and frequent churchgoers
David S. Walker
8 ‘The church is very welcoming even though I don’t attend often’: Listening to occasional churchgoers
Paul W. Rolph, Jenny Rolph, and Leslie J. Francis
9 Church attendance and cohabitation: A study among churchgoers
David W. Lankshear, Andrew Village, and Leslie J. Francis
10 Personal predictors of congregational bonding social capital: A study among churchgoers in a multi-cultural society
Leslie J. Francis and David W. Lankshear
11 Belonging, ethnicity and homophily in local congregations: A multivariate analysis
Andrew Village and Leslie J. Francis
12 Predictors of church growth in Southwark Diocese 2000-2008
Andrew Village
13 Impact of church schools on the attitudes of young churchgoers toward their church and Christian living
Leslie J. Francis and David W. Lankshear
14 Understanding the cathedral congregation: Inside Southwark Cathedral
David W. Lankshear and Leslie J. Francis
15 The human face of the cathedral: A qualitative enquiry into what draws people to Southwark Cathedral
Leslie J. Francis, Jenny Rolph, and Paul W. Rolph
16 Psychological type, temperament theory, and religious motivation: Exploring the distinctive congregational profile of Southwark Cathedral
Leslie J. Francis and David W. Lankshear
Contributors
Author Index
Subject Index
About the author
Leslie J. Francis is Professor of Religions and Education at the University of Warwick, UK.David W. Lankshear is Visiting Professor at Glyndŵr University, UK.
More ebooks from the same author(s) / Editor
22,156 Ebooks in this category
