Denomi Nation
When I saw this graphic (see it larger), I was pretty surprised. I guess I had never really seen the breakdown of where each denomination is geographically located in our country.
Have you?
Since 1998. On WP for 988 days.
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January 19th, 2008 at 4:38 pm EST
mexico and canada, both without any kind of religion.
amazing, looks like i really did need to go on more mission trips to canada with my friends.
i didn’t realize catholicism was so far spread…I’ve read they settled small parts of Florida and that somewhere in northern Indiana Notre Dame is Catholic, maybe some parts of Pennsylvania, but not Oregon!
I guess those conquistidors did a good job of establishing themselves.
http://www.adherents.com/rel_USA.html#Pew_branches
This also puts into perspective some of the stats seen, I thought.
I wonder how much of a schism there is between all of us, in thoughts, views and christianity in general?
January 21st, 2008 at 9:44 am EST
extremely enlightening and intriguing.
January 21st, 2008 at 10:01 am EST
interesting. this map makes me wonder. Carter County, KY and Preble County, OH are the two counties that i have spent my life in and they are both listed as baptist. Since I go to KCU, a Christian college, i have been made aware of plenty of Christian churches in the area. I just looked at a list and there were 19. This made me think, how could the baptists top 19? I mean seriously! And how could Lewis County the county above us be listed as Christian? Then i looked at a list of all the churches in Carter County and found that there were 25. Guess that tops our 19.
Then I found it weird that Preble County was listed as baptist as well since Eaton Church of the Brethren, my home church, is the biggest church in Preble County. I know of several different brethren churches because of this. I looked it up and there are 6 brethren churches. The same list only listed three baptist churches. The leading denomination in Preble County was United Methodists with 8. I know this map is from 2000 so maybe in the past 8 years there have been a lot of baptist churches that have died off.
I also would love to see a map like this where it factors in the membership of denominations. I’m almost positive it would be this map that would show Preble County as a Brethren county and Carter County as Christian.
January 21st, 2008 at 1:54 pm EST
Abby … I did a bit more digging and found some information that might help with your questions.
It’s actually part of a 584-page book published in 2002. Only 149 of 285 religious bodies chose to participate in the study, which included congregations, members, adherants, and attendees. The following fourteen large groups didn’t participate in the study:
January 21st, 2008 at 5:23 pm EST
ok, huh. its still really interesting and intriguing. it makes sense though… baptists being in the south. thanks for your added research. and david, i wish that we were like mexico and canada, denominationless, it would make it so much easier. i often ask the question, can’t we all get along, and be one big united church?
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:38 am EST
Abby, do you really think there are no “denominations” in Canada and Mexico? If so, you have obviously never been there.
Lance has posted something that bears out the old saying, “Statistics don’t lie, liars abuse statistics”. (And I am NOT calling you a liar, Lance). If you consider that only 52% of the religious bodies asked to participate did so, and you factor in all those groups that might not even have been invited to participate, does that alter your understanding of the chart? Do you really believe that New York State and most of New England are 100% Roman Catholic? (I have a hard time thinking that there are ANY Christians in Vermont and New Hampshire, given their social biases!
).
If only the yellow blocks are “Christian”, what does that make the rest of the denominations? In my opinion, the chart is meaningless.
David — did you not pay attention in history class and remember that Lord Baltimore was given the charter for Maryland as a refuge for English Catholics? Or that many of the Irish came here for similar reasons? Or that Rhode Island was founded in order to provide a refuge for Baptists that were being hung by Puritans? Or do they not bother to teach American history in schools nowadays? You need to read up on the history of the Reformation, if such “schisms” puzzle you. And the history of the Crusades, if you have any doubts whatsoever as to the foundations of Mohammedanism. At least no one in this country is currently in danger of being burned at the stake for saying the Pope is infallible, or for baptizing infants, or even for following Tom Cruise or the Maharishi. Very few people in this country take their beliefs as seriously as their ancestors did. You might not like that “Old Time Religion”.
OH, yeah. Look at that map again. Canada and Mexico are Grey. That is the color for “Other”.
THINK, people!!!!
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:23 am EST
should i use more sarcasm or should i take you seriously? i’m trying to be more sarcastic, but it takes more effort than honest answers.
sometimes i forget to connect the irish and the catholic, then i remember the ira. they make good memories.
I just assumed that the catholics might have a stranglehold on california, but i also assumed that hippies and large cultish movements had killed off many of the pueblo dwelling priests.
As for the reformation…I’ve read some. I was wondering if in todays modern christianity (all encompassing, catholic and protestants alike), how big is the gap between all of our views? Just how does “America” think, and does it have any correlation to its denominational splits?
Just a curiousity.
I admit a certain ignorance to Islam, but I have been to a few mosques and was in danger for a while for being an American Christian because of the religion, so I get some of Islam.
…and also, abby…what i said about canada and mexico is a joke. they aren’t denominationless.
anyways, enough time online.
The more information I get, the closer I get to knowing nothing.
January 22nd, 2008 at 12:36 pm EST
I just got this email from one of my lovely Chinese friends:
Here was part of my answer:
January 22nd, 2008 at 1:56 pm EST
Yup, you nailed it, Lance. They are all original
The reason for different denominations has to do with depth of belief. The stronger your belief in the importance of a particular tenet of faith, the more likely you will be to found a schism. That may partly answer David’s question, but it is also a matter (I think) of whether people are secure in their belief. Someone who is secure in his belief can accept somebody else’s point of view without being threatened. Otherwise, the human impulse is to eliminate that other point of view. This can hide in many disguises, one of which erupts in the form of attempting to force others to convert to your viewpoint under the supposition that you know what is best for them and it is your responsibility to make them into your religious clone.
That type of behavior produces the classic cult. It is subtly different from the concept of proselytizing, in which one attempts to persuade (as opposed to force) someone else to your point of view. “Convert or die” is the surest indication of a religion with a shaky basis. There are plenty of those.
A prayer? “Lord, open the eyes of Lance’s friend. Allow that person to come in contact with Your Word, and let Your Spirit guide them into the Truth. In the Name of Jesus, Who shed His blood to pay for our sin and restore us to fellowship with You — Amen.”
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:06 pm EST
I am currently attending a truly Denomination-less church for the first time in my life. Its not affiliated with anything except the Bible. And I must say, it has been the most refreshing year of my life, spiritually. I am actually EXCITED to go to church EVERY Sunday, and I can’t say that that has always been true in the past…
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:59 pm EST
HP - What is it called? Denominations are “nomened” by their predominant belief or characteristic.
Besides, excitement over attending church has always been a function of how much you care about the people you go to church with. Oh. Otherwise, buy yourself a private pew and start your own denomination.
Nonomenalism?
This is getting silly, isn’t it? Like the post-person who removes the liver of the message.
Anglish. Gotta love it.
January 22nd, 2008 at 9:04 pm EST
Its called Little Flock Fellowship, there is only one nationwide, and it doesn’t answer to or report to any governing group or anything. Not sure if that makes it “nomened” or “non-nomened” though…
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:22 pm EST
Ah, so. Birds of a feather, flock … errr … belong to the same denomination. You make it sound a bit anarchic. Doesn’t answer to anything. All denominations start with just one of those. They are either followed by chirps off the old block, or face extinction.
But if you take away their name, then they have become de-nomened and ever after would be non-nomened. Until they put up their sign. But, if you have no sign out front, then I suppose your group could be considered non-nomened, except that you have already said it is nomened “Little Flock Fellowship”.
Baaa, I get it, now, he said sheepishly.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:23 pm EST
no i was being sarcastic, like david… maybe its a yeazel vibe that we understand each other over the internet or something. im sorry.