Is this person male or female? (National Congregations Study 2006-2007)

Each question was asked of a key informant from the congregation, such as a minister, priest, rabbi, or other staff person or leader.

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Gender of Religious Leader (National Congregations Study 2006-2007)     [Results weighted by W1]

Related Topics • Can Women be Religious Leaders? • Can Women Preach? • See all Topics Demographic Patterns • Year Founded • Adult Members • Political Ideology • Region of the Country • Religious Tradition • Theology • Year

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Gender of Religious Leader (Demographic Patterns)

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Gender of Religious Leader by Year Founded

	Before 1900	1900-1950	1951-1999	2000 or Later	Missing	TOTAL
Male	89.8% 308	94.8% 347	90.1% 482	96.0% 95	81	91.7% 1232
Female	10.2% 35	5.2% 19	9.9% 53	4.0% 4	6	8.3% 111
MISSING	16	23	36	0	0	75
TOTAL	100.0% 343	100.0% 366	100.0% 535	100.0% 99	87	1343

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Gender of Religious Leader by Adult Members

	25 or Less	26-50	51-100	101-200	More than 200	Missing	TOTAL
Male	84.8% 151	90.1% 327	92.4% 328	95.3% 264	94.5% 241	2	91.8% 1311
Female	15.2% 27	9.9% 36	7.6% 27	4.7% 13	5.5% 14	0	8.2% 117
MISSING	23	11	20	13	6	0	73
TOTAL	100.0% 178	100.0% 363	100.0% 355	100.0% 277	100.0% 255	2	1428

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Gender of Religious Leader by Political Ideology

	More on the conservative side	Right in the middle	More on the liberal side	Missing	TOTAL
Male	95.1% 741	92.8% 436	63.8% 67	68	91.9% 1244
Female	4.9% 38	7.2% 34	36.2% 38	7	8.1% 110
MISSING	43	19	6	0	68
TOTAL	100.0% 779	100.0% 470	100.0% 105	75	1354

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Gender of Religious Leader by Region of the Country

	New England or Mid-Atlantic	East North Central or West North Central	South Atlantic, East South Central, or West South Central	Mountain or Pacific	TOTAL
Male	86.9% 159	90.1% 328	96.1% 662	84.5% 164	91.8% 1313
Female	13.1% 24	9.9% 36	3.9% 27	15.5% 30	8.2% 117
MISSING	15	22	28	12	77
TOTAL	100.0% 183	100.0% 364	100.0% 689	100.0% 194	1430

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Gender of Religious Leader by Religious Tradition

	Roman Catholic	White conservative, evangelical, or fundamentalist	Black Protestant	White liberal or moderate	Non-Christian	TOTAL
Male	93.7% 74	95.4% 664	90.9% 310	85.0% 232	82.5% 33	91.9% 1313
Female	6.3% 5	4.6% 32	9.1% 31	15.0% 41	17.5% 7	8.1% 116
MISSING	0	41	13	12	11	77
TOTAL	100.0% 79	100.0% 696	100.0% 341	100.0% 273	100.0% 40	1429

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Gender of Religious Leader by Theology

	More on the conservative side	Right in the middle	More on the liberal side	Missing	TOTAL
Male	95.3% 820	92.3% 385	61.6% 69	38	91.7% 1274
Female	4.7% 40	7.7% 32	38.4% 43	2	8.3% 115
MISSING	54	8	8	0	70
TOTAL	100.0% 860	100.0% 417	100.0% 112	40	1389

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Gender of Religious Leader by Year

	1998	2006	TOTAL
Male	90.0% 1024	91.8% 1313	91.0% 2337
Female	10.0% 114	8.2% 117	9.0% 231
MISSING	96	77	173
TOTAL	100.0% 1138	100.0% 1430	2568

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Notes

The National Congregations Study (NCS) dataset "fills a void in the sociological study of congregations by providing, for the first time, data that can be used to draw a nationally aggregate picture of congregations" (Chaves et al. 1999, p.460). Thanks to innovations in sampling techniques, the NCS data is the first nationally representative sample of American congregations. In 2006-07, a panel component was added to the NCS. In addition to the new cross-section of congregations generated in conjunction with the 2006 General Social Survey (GSS), a stratified random sample was drawn from congregations who participated in the 1998 NCS. The 2006-07 NCS sample, then, includes a subset of cases that were also interviewed in 1998. A full codebook, prepared by the primary investigator, is available for download here. The codebook contains the original questionnaire, as well as detailed information on survey methodology, weights, coding, and more.