SCOBA Continues Participation in National Research of Faith Communities
New York, NY – The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops
in the Americas continues its participation in the ongoing national
research of parishes, congregations, and religious communities known as
Faith Communities Today (FACT). The FACT initiative is coordinated by
the Cooperative Congregational Studies Partnership (CCSP), an
organization that includes over 40 major faith groups and has become a
leading source of research-based information on congregational life in
the United States. The initial FACT survey was distributed in 2000, and
this year, CCSP is currently distributing surveys to 4000 parishes and
congregations among approximately 300 denominations, jurisdictions and
faith communities.
More than 30 major religious groups, including the Orthodox Churches of
SCOBA, were represented at the annual meeting of CCSP held August 1-3 in
Chicago. Representing SCOBA was Father Nektarios Morrow, coordinator
of the recently established Orthodox Research Commission. Also in
attendance was Alexey Krindatch, a member of the Research Commission and
the Director for Campus Ministry of the Patriarch Athenagoras Orthodox
Institute in Berkeley, CA. The meeting included evaluations of the
survey program, as well as discussions on planned resources that will
provide national research data on specific topics to participating
religious bodies. As the data and resources are made available, the
Orthodox Research Commission will distribute these to the SCOBA
jurisdictions and their national ministries for evaluation and possible
use in resources provided to Orthodox parishes.
For the 2005 FACT survey, 30 parishes from SCOBA jurisdictions were
randomly chosen to participate. These parishes were mailed copies of
the survey, which included an option of completing it online. Over the
coming weeks, the Orthodox Research Commission will be contacting these
parishes to ensure the greatest possible participation in the 2005
survey. More information on the FACT initiative and the work of the
CCSP is available on the web at http://FACT.hartsem.edu.
Contact: Rev. Father Nektarios Morrow
Orthodox Research Commission
Tel. (212) 774-0506 Fax (325) 646-6804
Email: FrNektarios@goarch.org