The Roman Catholic Church continues to be the largest denomination in the United
States, with Southern Baptists ahead of all others.
The 2001 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches puts
Roman Catholic membership at 62 million in this country. Southern Baptists
are second with 15.8 million members, the yearbook reports.
The Roman Catholic Church continues to be the largest denomination in the United
States, with Southern Baptists ahead of all others.
The 2001 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches puts
Roman Catholic membership at 62 million in this country. Southern Baptists
are second with 15.8 million members, the yearbook reports.
The next-closest is the United Methodist Church at almost
8.4 million.
Those figures represent little change from the previous yearbook.
Indeed, most of United States and Canadian recorded membership gains or loses
within a margin of 1 percent during that time.
That shows a steadying of declines as high as 3 percent or
4 percent in some mainline denominations a decade ago.
Catholics recorded a membership gain of 0.6 percent in 1999,
the annual report indicated. Southern Baptists came in at 0.7 percent. Assemblies
of God took the largest jump, with a 1.9 percent increase.
In addition to membership, the yearbook also reports on church
giving in the most recent year of record.
Total church giving was $26.9 billion in 1999, a slight increase
from $26.2 billion in 1998. Of that total, $4.2 billion went to benevolences
in 1999, the yearbook said. Benevolences represent any funds used for something
beyond the day-to-day expenses of the local church.
That means about 16 percent of total giving was used for
benevolences, an increase from 15 the previous year.
The rest of the $26.9 billion was used to support operations
of churches, the yearbook indicated.
Based on 2001 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches
figures, the 10 largest denominations in the nation are:
Roman Catholic Church, 62 million members.
Southern Baptist Convention, 15.85 million members.
United Methodist Church, 8.37 million members.
Church of God in Christ, 5.49 million members.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, 5.14
million members.
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons),
5.11 million members.
Presbyterian Church (USA), 3.56 million members.
National Baptist Convention of America, 3.5 million
members.
Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod, 2.58 million
members.
Assemblies of God, 2.57 million members.