Demography, Culture, and the Decline of America’s Christian Denominations

Hawley presents an interesting synthesis of cultural and demographic explanations for the trajectory of contemporary American Christian groups. Many readers will find the demographic assessments of particular religious denominations interesting and useful. It is an exceptionally useful text for ministers and seminaries. -- Darren Sherkat, SIU Carbondale
Hawley has done American Christianity a major service by writing this book. From parish pastors to denominational leaders, all need to comprehend the underlying demographic factors that have contributed to declining numbers in both mainline and evangelical denominations. But Hawley goes beyond mere head counting—tying in cultural trends, the changing makeup of the family, and other insights from his work as a political scientist. We Christians operate under the Lord's care and approach the future with confidence in His providence. But that doesn't mean we can ignore the trends unfolding before our eyes. Any Christian interested in faithfully charting a course for his parish or denomination under the Lord's care into a challenging future will benefit from reading Hawley's work. -- H. R. Curtis, Coordinator for Stewardship, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod