U.S. Religion Census: Religious Congregations and Membership Study
The U.S. Religion Census: Religious Congregations and Membership Study (RCMS) is a decadal census that has been conducted by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. While initially heavily focused on Christian religious groups, the study has grown to include many non-Christian groups and religious traditions with no central data collection points, such as non-denominational churches or Muslim and Jewish communities. This module will serve as an introduction to the Religious Congregations and Membership Study, compare the 2020 study with the 2010 study, and guide users on how to use the ARDA’s Maps feature.
The ARDA Lesson Plans integrate content from the ARDA and other sources into teachable units. The lessons are designed for courses in a wide range of disciplines, including history, political science, psychology, religious studies, and sociology. This assignment was created for the Association of Religion Data Archives.
