Denominational Profile
Notes
| Outpost of the largest of the many Japanese Buddhist groups, the Buddhist Churches of America was begun by missionaries who arrived in San Francisco in the 1890s. Having the continental United States as its territory, it is in fellowship with the Buddhist Churches of Canada and the Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawaii. |
Membership Data
| Year |
Clergy |
Churches |
Members |
| 1940 |
- |
46 |
70,000 |
| 1946 |
- |
- |
70,000 |
| 1950 |
- |
47 |
73,000 |
| 1953 |
62 |
48 |
63,000 |
| 1954 |
65 |
49 |
63,000 |
| 1955 |
67 |
48 |
- |
| 1956 |
71 |
48 |
- |
| 1957 |
72 |
49 |
10,000 |
| 1958 |
80 |
51 |
10,000 |
| 1959 |
80 |
52 |
20,000 |
| 1960 |
- |
53 |
- |
| 1961 |
90 |
55 |
60,000 |
| 1965 |
130 |
93 |
92,000 |
| 1967 |
45 |
35 |
- |
| 1968 |
100 |
59 |
100,000 |
| 1970 |
101 |
60 |
100,000 |
| 1973 |
95 |
60 |
60,000 |
| 1974 |
86 |
60 |
60,000 |
| 1975 |
108 |
60 |
60,000 |
| 1983 |
115 |
62 |
100,000 |
| 1984 |
115 |
100 |
100,000 |
| 1989 |
107 |
67 |
19,441 |
Data were taken from the National Council of Churches' Historic Archive CD and recent editions of the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Denomination descriptions provided by Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director, Institute for the Study of American Religion (ISAR). [More information on data sources]
