Within the past twelve months, have there been any groups or meetings or classes or events specifically focused on the following purposes or activities? To discuss a book people have read other than the Bible? (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.
|
[Results weighted by W1] |
Related Topics
Demographic Patterns
|
Book Group? (Demographic Patterns)
Book Group? by Year Founded
| Before 1900 | 1900-1950 | 1951-1999 | 2000 or Later | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 48.7% 174 | 39.6% 154 | 46.4% 265 | 33.3% 33 | 40 | 44.2% 626 |
| No | 51.3% 183 | 60.4% 235 | 53.6% 306 | 66.7% 66 | 44 | 55.8% 790 |
| MISSING | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 357 | 100.0% 389 | 100.0% 571 | 100.0% 99 | 84 | 1416 |
[Back to Top]
Book Group? by Adult Members
| 25 or Less | 26-50 | 51-100 | 101-200 | More than 200 | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 20.9% 42 | 34.7% 130 | 36.0% 134 | 60.3% 173 | 71.2% 185 | 1 | 44.4% 664 |
| No | 79.1% 159 | 65.3% 245 | 64.0% 238 | 39.7% 114 | 28.8% 75 | 4 | 55.6% 831 |
| MISSING | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 201 | 100.0% 375 | 100.0% 372 | 100.0% 287 | 100.0% 260 | 5 | 1495 |
[Back to Top]
Book Group? by Political Ideology
| More on the conservative side | Right in the middle | More on the liberal side | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 41.6% 341 | 44.3% 216 | 69.4% 75 | 34 | 44.6% 632 |
| No | 58.4% 479 | 55.7% 272 | 30.6% 33 | 50 | 55.4% 784 |
| MISSING | 2 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 7 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 820 | 100.0% 488 | 100.0% 108 | 84 | 1416 |
[Back to Top]
Book Group? 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 57.4% 112 | 47.0% 179 | 36.2% 259 | 55.8% 115 | 44.4% 665 |
| No | 42.6% 83 | 53.0% 202 | 63.8% 457 | 44.2% 91 | 55.6% 833 |
| MISSING | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 195 | 100.0% 381 | 100.0% 716 | 100.0% 206 | 1498 |
[Back to Top]
Book Group? by Religious Tradition
| Roman Catholic | White conservative, evangelical, or fundamentalist | Black Protestant | White liberal or moderate | Non-Christian | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 46.2% 36 | 44.1% 323 | 27.7% 98 | 64.1% 182 | 51.0% 26 | 44.4% 665 |
| No | 53.8% 42 | 55.9% 409 | 72.3% 256 | 35.9% 102 | 49.0% 25 | 55.6% 834 |
| MISSING | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 78 | 100.0% 732 | 100.0% 354 | 100.0% 284 | 100.0% 51 | 1499 |
[Back to Top]
Book Group? by Theology
| More on the conservative side | Right in the middle | More on the liberal side | Missing | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 40.1% 365 | 46.6% 198 | 70.8% 85 | 17 | 44.5% 648 |
| No | 59.9% 546 | 53.4% 227 | 29.2% 35 | 26 | 55.5% 808 |
| MISSING | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 911 | 100.0% 425 | 100.0% 120 | 43 | 1456 |
[Back to Top]
Book Group? by Year
| 1998 | 2006 | TOTAL | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | 30.2% 371 | 44.4% 666 | 38.0% 1037 |
| No | 69.8% 857 | 55.6% 834 | 62.0% 1691 |
| MISSING | 6 | 6 | 12 |
| TOTAL | 100.0% 1228 | 100.0% 1500 | 2728 |
[Back to Top]
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.
