News Survey
Americans overstate size of religious minorities
T
he typical American underes- timates how many Protestants there are in the U.S., and vastly overestimates the number of reli- gious minorities such as Mormons, Muslims and atheist/agnostics, according to a new study. Grey Matter Research and Con-
sulting asked 747 U.S. adults to guess what proportion of the Ameri- can population belongs to each of eight major religious groups: Prot- estant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, atheist/agnostic, believe in God or a higher power but have no particular religious prefer- ence, and any other religious group. The average response was that 24 percent of Americans are Roman Catholic, 20 percent are Protestant, 19 percent are unaffiliated, 8 per- cent are Jewish, 9 percent are atheist or agnostic, 7 percent are Muslim, 7 percent are Mormon and 5 per- cent identify with all other religious groups.
11
mercial sex trade in the U.S. Pros- ecutor Lindsey Roberson of New Hanover County, N.C., has seen it happen. She said one of her first cases involved a 17-year-old who met a guy who wooed her, then “took her out of town on a trip and let her know what she would have to do to pay her way.” In May, Roberson helped start a deferred prosecution pilot program for first-time offenders with prostitu- tion charges, partnering with a local rape crisis center. Roberson is also on the board of the Centre of Redemp- tion, a faith-based effort that is sched-
uled to open this month to help preg- nant teens and teen moms who are trafficking victims.
Preparing women theologians While in some regions half of Lutheran theology students are female, in others women still find it difficult to enroll in classes—espe- cially at master’s or doctorate levels, said participants at an October 2012 Lutheran World Federation consul- tation on global Lutheran theologi- cal education. Participants discussed ways to strengthen networks for
For more news, visit
www.thelutheran.org/feature/december 12 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org
Respondents were correct on Roman Catholics at 24 percent. But according to the 2008 U.S. Reli- gious Landscape Survey from the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, 51 percent are Protestant, 12 percent are unaffiliated, 2 percent are Jewish, 4 percent are atheist/ agnostic, less than 1 percent are Muslim, 2 percent are Mormon and 4 percent identify with all other reli- gious groups.
While Protestants make up more than half of the American popula- tion, Ron Sellers, president of Grey Matter Research, said there are several reasons why there is such a gross underestimation of their numbers. “Protestant is an umbrella word
that people don’t think of,” he said, noting that people are much more likely to identify with individual Protestant groups, such as Baptist, Methodist or Lutheran, rather than with the tradition as a whole.
women theologians. Liliana Kasper, a theologian from the Lutheran Com- munion in Southern Africa shared how its female theologians’ forum helps “empower the female pastors [and] prepare them for leadership positions.”
Dentist ordered to pay penalty Oregon officials fined a dentist nearly $348,000 for pressuring an employee to attend a Scientology seminar. He allegedly threatened to fire his dental assistant when she said the three-day conference would conflict with her Christian beliefs. She quit and moved out of state to find another job, filing a complaint with the Bureau of Labor and Industry’s civil rights division. Religious discrimination cases are rare, comprising 3 percent of the agen- cy’s annual workload. The penalty reportedly covered the woman’s lost wages, damages, moving expenses and emotional distress.
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION Publication Title: The Lutheran Publication No. 0024-743X Filing Date: Sept. 17, 2012 Frequency: Monthly, 12 issues published annually Annual Subscription Price: $17.95 Mailing Address of Office of Publication and General Business Office of Publisher: Augsburg Fortress, 100 S. Fifth St., Suite 600, Minneapolis, MN 55402 (Hennepin County) Full Name and Complete Mailing Address of Editor: Daniel J. Lehmann, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631 Managing Editor: None. Owner: Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 8765 W. Higgins Rd., Chicago, IL 60631 Nonprofit Organization Authorized To Mail at Special Rates: The purpose, function and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes has not changed during preceding 12 months. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: September 2012
Average No. of copies Actual No. of copies of each issue during
a. Total No. of Copies (press run) c. Total Paid Distribution
e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution f. Total Distribution
g. Copies not Distributed h. Total
i. Percent Paid
preceding 12 months 206,678 182,147
24,153
206,300 379
206,679 88.29%
198,703 179,588
18,890
198,478 225
198,703 90.48%
I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete: Alisa Martodam, Customer care supervisor & fulfillment lead
single issues published near filing date
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52