A sociological and demographic analysis of patterns of church membership in the Church of Scotland in the urban city (Dundee)
This research was stimulated by a concern for the losses in membership being experienced by the Church of Scotland and by the fact that only one research study had been carried out and that had concentrated upon the Church's recruitment of young persons. This was seen as too narrow an approach. The research concentrated on the urban city of Dundee and constructed a computer database of 20,297 membership records [1982] and 3,997 Questionnaire Survey records of actual attenders in the 32 participating congregations. From the straight-forward examination of the demographic and social indicators, eg. age, sex, class, etc., a model of attending frequency is built revealing that the Church's concern might be wisely directed towards better administrative and pastoral care of the existing members as its primary objective. A further research aim was to develop spatial and 'modeling' techniques in order that the existing patterns of allegiance and attendance might be analysed. By examining the differentiation between various sub-sets of members and attenders, the evidence demonstrated that the Scottish council housing policy with its attendant displacement of population in Dundee (outlined in chapter two), had exacerbated
Yates, Cleveland Buchanan
9Y2 ; Church of Scotland ; Church of Scotland--History
A sociological and demographic analysis of patterns of church membership in the Church of Scotland in the urban city (Dundee). This research was stimulated by a concern for the losses in membership being experienced by the Church of Scotland and by the fact that only one research study had been carried out and that had concentrated upon the Church's recruitment of young persons. This was seen as too narrow an approach. The research concentrated on the urban city of Dundee and constructed a computer database of 20,297 membership records [1982] and 3,997 Questionnaire Survey records of actual attenders in the 32 participating congregations. From the straight-forward examination of the demographic and social indicators, eg. age, sex, class, etc., a model of attending frequency is built revealing that the Church's concern might be wisely directed towards better administrative and pastoral care of the existing members as its primary objective. A further research aim was to develop spatial and 'modeling' techniques in order that the existing patterns of allegiance and attendance might be analysed. By examining the differentiation between various sub-sets of members and attenders, the evidence demonstrated that the Scottish council housing policy with its attendant displacement of population in Dundee (outlined in chapter two), had exacerbated
sociological demographic analysis pattern church membership church_scotland urban city dundee stimulated concern loss membership experience church_scotland fact study_carry concentrated upon church recruitment young person see narrow approach concentrated urban city dundee construct computer database membership record questionnaire_survey record actual participate congregation forward examination demographic social indicator age_sex class etc model attend frequency build reveal church concern might direct_towards well administrative pastoral_care exist member primary_objective aim_develop spatial technique order exist pattern allegiance attendance might analyse examine differentiation various sub sets member evidence demonstrate scottish council housing policy attendant displacement population dundee outline exacerbate