The ATS research team and Research and Data Advisory Committee curate research by scholars in theological education and in other fields that relate to the interests of member schools. The
links listed are proven centers and multi-year projects. To supplement this list, the "Featured Resources" include other reports and studies that may be of interest.
Research organizations and projects
Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Churches—an expansive, mixed-methods research project that seeks
to thoroughly investigate the current changes and eventual outcomes of the pandemic for congregational life in the United States.
Auburn Reports (Auburn Theological Seminary Center for the Study of Theological
Education)—a series showcasing data and perspectives focused on institutional leadership, teaching and learning, students and graduates, student debt, financing of
theological schools, and the relationship between theological education and the public
Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR)—a collective of more than 100 scholars
of religion whose work includes the Program in Religion and Public Health (PRPH)
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)—a national, non-profit
research center, affiliated with Georgetown University, that conducts social scientific studies about the Catholic Church
Faith Communities Today—a
series of ongoing research surveys and practical reports about congregational life, conducted and published by the Cooperative Congregations Studies Partnership
Flourishing in Ministry—a comprehensive, long-term
study of the wellbeing of clergy and others in ministry with data on more than 15,000 clergy, including in-depth interviews with hundreds of pastors
Hartford Institute for Religion Research—34 years worth of rigorous, policy-relevant
research that functions as an important bridge between the scholarly community and the practice of faith
Lake Institute on Faith and Giving—in-house
research and peer-reviewed faculty studies focused on philanthropy and the nonprofit sector to identify emerging trends, challenge conventional wisdom, and provide valuable insights
National Congregations Study—information about
worship, programs, staffing, and other characteristics (1998, 2006, 2012) based on in-depth interviews of congregational leaders from a representative sample of America's churches,
synagogues, mosques and other local places of worship
Studying Congregations—a collaborative project of leading scholars in the
fields of sociology of religion, history, and practical theology, hosted by the Center for Practical
Theology at Boston University
US Religion Census—a census of the number of churches, full members, adherents,
and attendees for each of 236 faith groups, reported by county, from 1952 to 2010
Religious data and polling organizations
Association of Religious Data Archives (ARDA)—a wealth of data about communities,
congregations, religious groups, and religion timelines, with six tools of particular
interest to theological schools Barna—custom research and polling for organizations with an interest in how
faith influences culture Gallup—"analytics and advice about everything that
matters" Lifeway Research—assessments and custom research for church leaders, investigating topics
such as church practices, measured satisfaction, and readiness for church planting National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)—the primary federal entity for
collecting and analyzing data related to education in the U.S. and other nations
Pew Research Center—a nonpartisan fact tank that conducts public opinion polling,
demographic research, content analysis, and other data-driven social science research about current issues, attitudes, and trends
Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI)—a nonprofit, nonpartisan
organization conducting public opinion research based on probability sampling
