News

Go Figure

Recent statistics on church social service budgets, campaign donations from clergy, and regional belief in the Bible.

$633,314   Contributions given so far by clergy to 2008 presidential candidates.

56%   Percentage that has gone to Democrats.

52%   Percentage of the $1,149,326 given by clergy in 2004 that was given to Republicans.

(Source: OpenSecrets.org)

75%   Residents of Arkansas and Alabama who believe the Bible is literally true.

22%   Residents of Vermont and Massachusetts who say this.

(Source: Rasmussen Reports)

42.5%   American congregations that spend less than 10 percent of their budgets on social services in their community.

12.2%   Congregations that spend more than 30 percent.

(Source: The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy)

7.1%   American congregations that receive government grants to provide social services.

$395,628   Average (mean) grant received by these congregations (which received an average of three grants over four years).

(Source: The Roundtable on Religion and Social Welfare Policy)

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Related Elsewhere:

See our earlier Go Figure postings from January 2008, December 2007, November 2007, October 2007, September 2007, August 2007, July 2007, June 2007, May 2007, April 2007, March 2007, February 2007, and earlier issues.

Also in this issue

The CT archives are a rich treasure of biblical wisdom and insight from our past. Some things we would say differently today, and some stances we've changed. But overall, we're amazed at how relevant so much of this content is. We trust that you'll find it a helpful resource.

Cover Story

The Future Lies in the Past

Chris Armstrong

Calling on the Saints

Heather Gemmen Wilson

No Utter Collapse

Review

Singing Amid Suffering

Russ Breimeier

Don't Call Me Postconservative

Review by Telford Work

Taking a Chance on Fu Yang

Louis DeLuca

The Vision Thing

Singable Doctrine

Dismantling <em>Roe</em>

Review by Douglas LeBlanc

News

Missions Boot Camp

Amy Green

The Peacebuilding Prince

Interview by Cornelis Hulsman

Walking a Fine Line

John W. Kennedy

The Transgender Moment

John W. Kennedy

Ancient-Future People

Monastic Evangelicals

Chris Armstrong

This Samaritan Life

Tim Stafford

My Top 5 Books on the Civil Rights Era

Tim Stafford, author, 'Shaking the System'

News

The Health Care Crunch

A Christianity Today Editorial

Bookmarks

John Wilson, editor of 'Books & Culture'

Miracles

Compiled by Richard A. Kauffman

News

Securing the Faithful

A Christianity Today Editorial

Singing in the Chains

News

Quotation Marks

News

Continental Divide

Paul Hughes

Pro-Israel vs. Pro-Palestine

Rabbi Yehiel Poupko

News

Choosing Life at the Movies

Mark Moring

News

Arming in the Aftermath

Sarah Pulliam

News

TULIP Blooming

Ken Walker

News

Passages

News

Caste Down

Brad A. Greenberg

News

Wall Eyed

Gordon Govier

ID Tagged

Jocelyn Green

News

The Megachurch Primaries

Sarah Pulliam

News

Good Works Not Enough

Francis X. Rocca, RNS

News

Gospel Talk

Collin Hansen

View issue

Our Latest

Wonderology

Fault Lines

Am I bad or sick?

News

Utah Flocks to Crusade Event at Campus Where Charlie Kirk Was Killed

Evangelicals take the stage for worship and altar calls in the Mormon-majority state.

The Just Life with Benjamin Watson

Jasmine Crowe-Houston: Love and Feed Your Neighbor

Reframing hunger as a justice issue, not charity.

Which Topics Are Off Limits at Your Dinner Table?

Christine Jeske

A Christian anthropologist explains why we should talk about hard things and how to do it.

Are the Public Schools Falling Apart?

We need Christians to engage thoughtfully in local schools. That starts with understanding the problems.

God Loves Our Middling Worship Music

Songwriting might be the community-building project your church needs right now.

Black Greek Life Faces a Christian Exodus

Alyssa Rhodes

Believers are denouncing historical fraternities and sororities that have been beacons of progress.

Public Theology Project

The Church Sexual Abuse Crisis Should Prepare Us for the Epstein Files

The path to justifying predatory behavior often follows the same seven steps. We can respond differently.

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