Churchgoing among Unitarian Universalists, goals for growth, and more

Survey: More than 600,000 Unitarian Universalists

The Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life released its "U.S. Religious Landscape Survey," which states that 0.3% of American adults are Unitarian Universalists. UUs are counted with "Other Faiths"; click "Other Faiths" and then click "Unitarians and Other Liberal Faiths" to see the 0.3% figure. The full 140-page report (PDF) presents all religious affiliations on a single chart on page 12. Other tables showing Unitarian Universalist data compared to other religious traditions include "Marital Status" (page 75), "Race" (page 78), "Income Level" (page 81), "Age" (page 84), "Educational Level" (page 87), "Number of Children" (page 90), "Region" (page 93), and "Gender" (page 96). The Pew Forum also offers links to news coverage of the survey.

Reacting to the survey, Jeff at "Transient and Permanent" calculates that "the number of adult Unitarian-Universalists in America is approximately 683,000 (rounded)." He also estimates that there are approximately 220,000 to 225,00 UU children. Comparing these numbers to the UUA's data on congregational membership, Jeff concludes, "approximately 76% of UUs are not members of an UUA congregation, while only 24% of UUs do currently belong to a UUA congregation." (February 25, 2008)

Why aren't more UUs members of congregations?

Two Unitarian Universalist bloggers have offered explanations for the high number of Unitarian Universalists who are not members of congregations. Longtime Unitarian Universalist Stephanie Anagnoson at "Surviving the Workday" tells readers why she stopped attending church, and offers these suggestions for making congregations more appealing:

1. Don't make church the end-all-be-all-of-ministry and of religious and spiritual experience, because it's not. It's a part, and not the whole.

2. Offer an alternative service time.

3. Spend considerable time understanding how to minister single people and people who don't have kids. Ask them what they want. I'm guessing it's not folk dancing.

4. Stand up to The Crazies. (February 27, 2008)

Lizard Eater, of "The Journey," gives related reasons that her Unitarian Universalist siblings don't go to church: they don't have children, their weekend time is limited, and they may not be aware of what church has to offer. (February 27, 2008)

Growth targets for Unitarian Universalism?

Unitarian Universalist bloggers are also discussing a growth challenge set out by the Rev. Ron Robinson at "Planting God Communities" back in 2006. He considers Lynn Schaller's advice that religious groups "launch three new missions annually for every one hundred congregations in that organization." Robinson notes, "For the UUA that would mean starting 33 plants annually." (July 19, 2006)

Stephen Lingwood at "Reignite" reconsiders Robinson's post in the context of Unitarianism in the United Kingdom. He writes, "This, for British Unitarianism, would mean about 5 new churches a year... OK, let's be really pessimistic and say 1 new congregation a year. We're probably losing congregations at about that rate anyway. Is that crazily impossible or very possible and wise?" (February 21, 2008)

The Rev. Dan Harper at "Yet Another Unitarian Universalist" integrates his response to Lingwood with a critique of Holly Ulbrich's recent UU World article on the fellowship movement.

Ulbrich writes in her assessment of the fellowship movement: "Just as congregations reach growth plateaus, so did the movement as a whole. The program had already planted fellowships in the most promising communities, leaving fewer targets for additional growth" (Spring 2008). But Harper calls this argument into question:

While there’s no doubt that the movement reached a growth plateau in 1958, was that a cause of the declining number of new church starts, or a result? Inadequate funding for the major growth initiative of the denomination could be a big part of the reason for the decline that occurred in Unitarian Universalist membership from c. 1961, until a small amount of growth began happening c. 1980. (February 21, 2008)

With this lesson in mind, Harper advocates instead that Unitarian Universalist districts and "grant-making bodies" should increase financial support for new congregations and outreach programs.

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