Alexei Krindatch ([e-mail])

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Alexei Krindatch (Akrindatch_at_aol.com)
Orthodox Reality in America
St.Nicholas Cathedral, Tarpon Springs. FL
St.Tikhon Monastery (est. 1903), South Canaan, PA
St.Gregory Theologian Church, Tampa, FL
Panagia Vlahernon Monastery, Ocala, FL
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• Sources of information
• 2010 Census of US Orthodox Christian Churches
• 2010 Faith Communities Today study (national
  survey of congregations in various US Christian
  Churches)
• 2008 Orthodox Church Today (national survey of
  laity in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
  America and the Orthodox Church in America)
• 2007 Evolving Visions of the Orthodox Priesthood
  in America study (national survey of parish
  clergy in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of
  America and Orthodox Church in America)
• 2009 US Religious Landscape Survey (Pew Forum on
  Religion and Public Life)

3
Where do the members of Orthodox Churches live?

4

• 48 of all US Orthodox Church members live in
  just five states California (14.5 of all
  American Orthodox Church members), New York
  (13.5), Illinois (7.2), New Jersey (6.9) and
  Massachusetts (5.9)
• Proportion of adherents of the various Orthodox
  Christian Churches in the total US population is
  small just 0.34.
• In certain states, however, this proportion is
  significantly higher. These states are Alaska
  (1.93), Massachusetts (0.93), New Jersey
  (0.83), New York (0.72) and Rhode Island
  (0.72).

5
Since 1980s, several new developments in American
Orthodox Christian Churches

• Geographic redistribution dynamic growth in
  South (esp. Florida) and in West (esp.
  California)
• Fast growth of Oriental Orthodox Churches (1970 -
  2 Coptic parishes in USA, 2010 - 172)
• Fast growing presence of converts (former Roman
  Catholics and Protestants) among both Orthodox
  clergy and laity

6
A significant number of converts (born and
raised non-Orthodox) among members of Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Orthodox
Church in America
7
Some Orthodox Churches in US become All
American and some remain ethnically based
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• The strength of the ethnic heritage and
  identity in US Orthodox Churches can be difficult
  to measure unambiguously
• In Greek Orthodox Archdiocese (GOA), only 14
  parishioners and 28 clergy were born outside USA
• But Greek is still first mother language
  (spoken at home as a child) for 45 GOA clergy
  and 42 GOA parishioners
• 70 of GOA clergy agree with statement that their
  parishes remain essentially Hellenic in its
  heritage and culture
• 54 of GOA clergy agree with statement that Our
  parish wants to be racially and culturally
  diverse

9
2010 Faith Communities Today (FACT) Survey of
Orthodox Parishes in USA

• Of your total regular participants age 18 and
  older, estimate the percent who are
• (average for US Orthodox parishes nationwide)
• Female 54
• College graduates 53
• New to this parish in the past 5 years 23
• Cradle Orthodox (e.g. persons born into
• Orthodox Church) 61
• Living within 15 minutes of your parishs
• Church building 46

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2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox parishes in USA Do
you agree with following statements about your
parish?
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2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox parishes in USA
How much do the following describe your parishs
major weekend worship service?
12
2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox parishes in USA
How much does your parish emphasize the
following personal and family religious practices?
13
2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox Parishes in USA of Orthodox parishes reporting that a lot of emphasis in parish life is given to following activities 2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox Parishes in USA of Orthodox parishes reporting that a lot of emphasis in parish life is given to following activities
Sunday school or all day church school 69
Youth activities and programs 51
Bible studies (other than Sunday School) 46
Adult religious formation classes 45
Fellowships, trips or other social activities 44
Music programs 35
Community service activities 33
Young adult activities and programs 30
Spiritual retreats 20
Parenting or marriage enrichment activities 16
Team sports, fitness activities, exercise classes 16
Support groups bereavement, job loss, 12 step 7
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2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox Parishes in
USAOverall, to what extent are your parishs
active participants involved in recruiting new
members?

• How are visitors contacted
• after they attend your parishs
• worship services or other
• activities?
• By e-mail 67
• By phone 58
• Send materials about parish
• to our visitors 57
• Personal visits 32
• We rarely contact our
• visitors 23

15
2010 FACT Survey of Orthodox Parishes in
USAImpact of Financial Recession on Church
Finances How would you describe your parishs
financial health today and five years ago?
16
What are most urgent issues in the Church
life from the perspective of members of Greek
Orthodox Archdiocese of America (GOA) and
Orthodox Church in America (OCA)?

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of parishioners saying that the following subjects are VERY IMPORTANT to be discussed in Church GOA OCA
Issue of youth and young adults leaving Orthodox Church 84 77
Relationship between mainstream American culture and traditions and requirements of the Orthodox Church 63 54
Issue of interfaith and inter-Christian marriages 52 27
Representation of the local parish at decision making on the diocesan and national level 46 44
Issue of ethnic versus American parishes 45 40
Relationship between American Orthodox Churches and Mother Churches in the Old World 39 31
Recruiting priests from converts to Orthodoxy 32 25
Sharing ministry with laity 32 22
Lack of clear professional standards for priests 28 23
Process of selecting bishops 25 34
18
The good message Members of US Orthodox
Churches have a strong religious identity and
Church preference who agreed with
following statements
19
The bad message strong Orthodox identity does
NOT mean that people in the pews view their
religious obligations the way they are expected
by the Church

• The survey data tell us that regular Church
  attendance, obeying the priest and observing
  Great Lent are seen by majority of parishioners
  as non-significant for being a good Orthodox

20
Please, indicate if you think a person can be a
good Orthodox Christian without performing these
actions of GOA and OCA members saying that
he/she still can be a good Orthodox Christian
without doing the following
Without going to church every Sunday 60
Without obeying the priest 53
Without observing Lent and fasting on certain days 50
Without their marriage being approved by Church 40
Without donating time and money to help the poor 28
Without donating time and money to help parish 27
Without believing that in Eucharist, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Jesus 3
Without believing that Jesus rose from the dead 2
21
Generally, Orthodox Christians DO NOT favor the
idea of ordination of women of those who would
support women in following roles
22
Orthodox men and women have similarly negative
opinions on ordination of women of male and
female respondents who would support women in
following roles
23
Vast majority of American Orthodox
Christians prefer to be in the homogenous
like-minded parishes What type of parish do you
prefer?
24
But not all Orthodox laity are equally
Orthodox in their personal
micro-theologies When you think about your
theological position and approach to church life,
which word best describes you?
25
Orthodox Christians are deeply divided among
themselves on subject of evolution versus
creationism.
26
Orthodox Christians are also divided among
themselves on teaching of evolution versus
creationism in the schools.
27
An overwhelming majority of American Orthodox
Christians DO NOT support secularity of education
in the public schools.
28
2010 National Census of US Orthodox Christian
Churches

• Each local Orthodox parish was asked two
  questions
• How many individual persons in total are
  associated with the life of your parish
  including adults and children, regular and
  occasional attendees, paid stewards and persons
  who do not contribute financially?
• Approximately, how many persons including
  adults and children attend Liturgy in your
  parish on a typical Sunday?

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Combined, for all US Orthodox Churches

• The answer to the first question is 1,043,000
  That is, 1,043,000 persons in the USA
  participate in Orthodox church life or are at
  least known to the local parishes
• The answer to the second question is 294,000
  That is, 294,000 persons are praying in all
  American Orthodox parishes on a typical Sunday
• The ratio between second (294,000) and first
  (1,043,000) figures is 28
• That is, 28 of the Orthodox Church adherents
  participate in church life on a regular weekly
  basis

30
Membership in Byzantine Orthodox Churches
31
Membership in Oriental Orthodox Churches
32
Are Orthodox Church members in the USA frequent
and regular church goers?
33
Are Orthodox Church members in the USA frequent
and regular church goers?
34
Are Orthodox Churches in the USA growing? Change
in number of parishes 2000-2010 ()
35
Are Orthodox Churches in the USA growing? Change
in number of parishes 2000-2010 ()
36
And How Different Are We? Some
Interesting Facts about American Orthodox
Christians Versus US Roman Catholics and
Protestants

• Source 2009 US Religious Landscape Survey
• by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life

37
American Orthodox Christians have higher
income level than Roman Catholics and Protestants

38
Which is not surprising, because American
Orthodox Christians also have higher education
level than Roman Catholics and Protestants
39
American Orthodox Christians are more
liberal in their political preferences than
Roman Catholics or Protestants
40
In their attitudes towards abortion, 62 of
American Orthodox Christians are pro choice and
only 30 pro life
41
Vast majority of American Orthodox Christians
are quite flexible in interpreting official
Church teachings
42
Compared to Roman Catholics and Protestants,
Orthodox Christians in the US are LESS likely to
see God as a person and MORE likely as an
impersonal force
43
Orthodox Christians DO NOT practice their faith
in a particularly strong manner they attend
Church less frequently than Roman Catholics or
Evangelical Christians
44

• When youre back home, look for more information
  on Orthodox Church life in US at
• www.orthodoxreality.org
• www.orthodoxhistory.org
• www.aoiusa.org
• www.ocl.org
• or write me to Akrindatch_at_aol.com
• Now is time for difficult questions please, ask!