HIRR Shares Post-Pandemic Congregational Insights on Podcast

Allison Norton and Scott Thumma, investigators with HIU’s Hartford Institute for Religion Research, were featured on a recent episode of The Ministry Collaborative podcast, sharing findings from the ongoing study, Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations.

The study, which employs both quantitative and qualitative data across hundreds of congregations, reveals unprecedented mobility among churchgoers. According to the research, 38% of survey respondents said they had come to their current congregation within the last five years.

"We were wondering, because the pandemic was such a politicized event, are people going to be switching churches based on political affiliation, based on masking policies?" Allison said. "We have some really neat insights about these new folks."

While 70% of newcomers came from other churches, a substantial 22% were people returning after long absences, and 8% said they had never before belonged to any congregation. The pandemic, it seems, awakened in many people a renewed quest for meaning.

Most striking was what motivated these choices. When asked what brought them to their current church, 70% of newcomers cited that the congregation "aligns with my beliefs, values, and preferences."

"That really surprised us," Scott said. "Normally, it's about location, children's programming. This was extremely high; the person is the locus of authority more so than denomination or heritage."

The research also uncovered tension between innovation and stability. During the pandemic's height, congregations demonstrated remarkable flexibility. But that openness proved short-lived.

"The further we get from the pandemic, the less we see that," Scott said. "They got really flexible and then withdrew."

One of the study's most counterintuitive findings involves how people practice their faith. Nearly half of respondents reported regularly participating in more than one congregation, physically attending worship at one church, Bible study at another, and a book club at yet another.

"It's not just tuning into somebody's streaming," Allison said. "It is more likely to happen in person than virtual."

Despite narratives of decline, Allison and Scott offered points of hope. A strong core of attendees has maintained or increased giving and volunteering. More than half of congregations reported stronger vitality now than before the pandemic.

On Generation Z, the researchers pushed back against popular myths.

"One of the myths is that Gen Z will save the American church," Scott said. "That's not happening."

However, Gen Z members who are in church look different, more active in congregational life, with slightly more males, and incorporating broader spiritual practices.

"A lot of people assumed the pandemic was a disaster for attendance," Allison said. "Our data shows it's uneven. For some churches, newcomers have brought new vitality. It's not all doom and gloom."

The complete conversation with Allison Norton and Scott Thumma is available on The Ministry Collaborative podcast.

Additional HIRR reports can be found here.