c. 2008 Religion News Service

Study: 1 percent of congregations close doors each year

(RNS) An average of 1 percent of religious congregations shut their doors each year, a lower closure rate than other organizations, according to a new study.

The finding, published in the June issue of the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, means that about 10 of every 1,000 U.S. congregations end their operations each year.

Researchers from Duke University and the University of Arizona found that disbanded congregations tended to have fewer adult participants than active congregations, with a median size of 50 compared to 269 in active ones. They also learned that congregations where conflict prompted some people to leave in the previous two years were much more likely to disband than active congregations.

Religious congregations have a lower annual mortality rate than other organizations studied over the last two decades, such as volunteer social service groups (2.3 percent), California wineries (5 percent) and peace movement organizations (9 percent).

“The main difference between congregations doomed to disband and congregations destined for revival is a willingness to adapt, to alter their congregational identity in response to change in the communities in which they are located,” the authors of the study concluded. “And whether a congregation is willing to adapt depends largely on the outcome of conflict between advocates of the status quo and advocates of change.”

Mark Chaves, a sociologist at Duke University and co-author of the study, said a low mortality rate should not automatically be considered good news for houses of worship.

“Normally, one would think such a low mortality rate means that congregations overall are unusually healthy organizations,” he said. “But we believe that’s probably not the case. Instead, we think it means that congregations are a type of organization that has ways to stay alive even when they are very weak.”

The study was based on an analysis that determined the 2005 status of 1,234 congregations in the 1998 National Congregations Study, of which Chaves is the principal investigator.

Researchers searched the Internet and denominational yearbooks or contacted congregations directly to determine their status.

_ Adelle M. Banks

Some churches reluctant to hang anti-torture banners

WASHINGTON (RNS) American houses of worship may support a ban on U.S. torture, but they aren’t always comfortable with showing it publicly, according to an anti-torture activist group.

The Rev. Richard Killmer is leading a national campaign to get churches, synagogues and mosques to hang banners reading “Torture is a moral issue.” He said he found some congregations “were not ready to be publicly visible” on this issue, and one even feared property damage.

“Different congregations are on different places on this,” said Killmer, executive director of the National Religious Campaign Against Torture, in a conference call Thursday (June 5).

While nearly 300 groups now hang such banners, others have been reluctant. A church in Illinois, which Killmer declined to identity, said their banner was stolen. He also said an Episcopal priest expressed concern about his church being defaced.

Religious leaders in five states _ Mississippi, Idaho, Nebraska, Georgia and West Virginia _ were particularly resistant or afraid to support the initiative, Killmer said. North Dakota was a particularly tough battle, although they ended up with six participating congregations who hung anti-torture banners.

The use of torture by the United States has been hotly debated since photos were made public detailing abuse of inmates at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq. In addition, human rights groups have been concerned about the government’s use of waterboarding and other harsh methods to extract information from people the government wants to question about possible terrorist threats.

The National Religious Campaign Against Torture, a non-profit with more than 190 affiliated congregations, said support is growing. They now receive about 10 banner orders per day. Congregations in all 50 states now hang banners expressing moral objection to torture.

The group also plans to lobby Congress to create a select committee to investigate CIA interrogation programs, advocate closing of “secret prisons” and stop the transport of individuals to other countries for likely torture.

_ Jonathan D. Rubin

Pastor who was confronted by female congregants is sentenced to jail

PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) A pastor who sexually assaulted five women in his church didn’t want to stand up in court and say he was sorry. But the terms of his plea agreement made it a requirement.

“Do I have to?” Sergio Alvarizares asked Judge Eric Bergstrom on Wednesday (June 4), in a last-ditch effort to get out of it.

“Yes,” replied the judge.

And so Alvarizares rattled off the few sentences of his apology letter: “I am sincerely sorry for all the sexual contact,” Alvarizares read, his voice lacking any emotion.

Alvarizares’ crimes against women became public during a dramatic confrontation at a Sept. 30 Sunday service at Casa del Padre, a nondenominational Spanish-speaking church. A woman interrupted the service to accuse Alvarizares of luring her into his office with compliments, locking the door and making unwanted sexual advances to her.

Other women stood up to confront Alvarizares about abuse, too. As the crowd grew unruly and five people reportedly tried to get onto the pulpit, several people dialed 9-1-1. The pastor yelled, “That’s a lie! That’s a lie!” before ducking into his office.

One caller declared, “This is an emergency!” Another reported, “Someone wants to fight the pastor.” Police came to calm the crowd.

Within weeks, nine women had come forward with stories of abuse. Alvarizares was indicted for crimes against five of the women.

Alvarizares and his wife, who have three sons, had been co-pastors for several years of the church, known in English as “Father’s House.” The church, with a congregation of about 800 adults, started in the couple’s home.

Bergstrom sentenced the 39-year-old man to 31/2 years in prison. Alvarizares had originally been charged with raping one woman, attempting to rape two others and sexually abusing two others.

Last month, he pleaded guilty to attempted rape and third-degree sexual abuse for unlawfully kissing four women and trying to force another woman to have sex.

During Wednesday’s sentencing hearing, Deputy District Attorney Christine Mascal thanked the women for coming forward with their stories despite repercussions.

“They were driven away from the congregation … by supporters of the defendant,” Mascal said. “And in spite of that, they are here today.”

_ Aimee Green

Quote of the Day: The Rev. James Lisante of Long Island, N.Y.

(RNS) “One final thing, Lord, I promise. This November could you keep an eye on all of us and see that the change that we embrace comes from Arizona and not Illinois?”

_ The Rev. James Lisante, a Catholic priest from Long Island, N.Y. delivering the invocation at a Republican fundraiser in Manhattan on May 29. Lisante later said he should have separated the prayer from his commentary, though he still supports Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

KRE/PH END RNS