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Congregational Switching in an Age of Great Expectations

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Review of Religious Research

Abstract

A majority of the American laity has switched congregations at least once in their adult lives, and more than two-thirds of U.S. congregants have previously attended a different congregation (Schwadel in Rev Relig Res 54(4):543–54, 2012). In contrast to religious tradition switching, we know little about the individual-level correlates of congregational switching. In this paper, we provide a framework for understanding congregational switching that emphasizes the role of congregational legitimacy in a social context of expressive individualism, the “spiritual marketplace,” and a competitive religious field. This social context leads to evaluations of congregations according to individually defined spiritual needs and meaningful interpersonal relationships. The salience of religion to the individual, for example, makes the link to a particular congregation more precarious as individuals seek the best fit for their perceived religious and spiritual needs. Using the 2006 and 2012 Portraits of American Life Surveys, a national panel survey of U.S. adults, we find that meaningful social ties, religious salience, leadership roles, meeting perceived religious and spiritual needs, and views of congregational decision-making influence switching. These factors remain even after accounting for residential mobility. We draw implications for theories of religion and understandings of congregational dynamics.

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Notes

  1. In fact, when one of the authors presented these results to faculty and students in Italy, the audience noticeably gasped at the rate of switching. They asked, how can U.S. congregations operate with so much turnover? We expect U.S. audiences would respond much differently given the great expectations (and expressive individualism) that make sense of congregational switching in the U.S.

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  1. University of Notre Dame, 4034 Jenkins Nanovic Hall, Notre Dame, IN, 46556, USA

    David Sikkink

  2. University of Illinois at Chicago, 1007 W. Harrison St., Chicago, 60607-7140, USA

    Michael Emerson

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Sikkink, D., Emerson, M. Congregational Switching in an Age of Great Expectations. Rev Relig Res 62, 219–247 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13644-020-00407-0

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