Introduction

This chapter is the first one that is not an update of a similar one that was published in the original North Carolina Atlas. The idea for creating it was prompted by an article that was published in the April, 2004 issue of NC DataNet, a newsletter of the Program on Southern Politics, Media and Public Life at UNC Chapel Hill,<www.southnow.org>. Written by John Quinterno, assistant director of the Center, the article was entitled “NC Catholic Voters: Small but Significant.” As the title suggests, the article dealt with some of the political implications of the state’s growing Catholic population, an approach that is consistent with the current chapter.

For many North Carolinians, participation in some form of organized religion is an important part of life. A survey conducted under the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) and published by the Glenmary Research Center reports that in 2000 there were 86 religious groups in the state and that 3,651,416 people, nearly half of the state’s population, belonged to one of these groups. Most of these groups are Christian denominations but included also are Baha’i, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, and other non-Christian faiths. (See the source in Table 1 for a complete citation of the Glenmary report, which is copyrighted).

The Glenmary report provides statistics on the number of religious adherents, a term that is more inclusive than members. Adherents are defined as “all members, including full members, their children and the estimated number of other participants who are not considered members.” The concept is used to provide more comparability in the statistics among the various denominations that define membership in different ways.

Religion is more than theology or issues of faith and belief. It is as well an important aspect of the cultural life of a community and it is in this sense that it is examined in this chapter. For example, in many cases people belong to the particular denomination that they grew up with in their families, especially so in the past. As a result, religious participation is sometimes associated with particular population groups. Historical examples in North Carolina include Scots and Scots-Irish settlers who brought Presbyterian churches with them as they came into the state. Similarly, early German immigrants established Lutheran churches where they went. Figure 1 illustrates how the establishment of Presbyterian churches has been used to mark the migration of Scots-Irish settlers into the South between 1750 and 1800. As will be shown later, elements of these historic patterns linger today in the contemporary distribution of Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Lutherans.

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In addition, religious groups have contributed to the life of North Carolina in a variety of ways. For example, all 37 of the independent colleges and universities in the state were founded by various religious bodies. These associations have weakened in many cases today, but the fact remains that these institutions of higher education are here today because of the initiative of a religious denomination.

More currently, statistics on the growth of Catholic congregations measure the recent in-migration of people from the northeastern US and of Hispanics into North Carolina and, for others, retirees who have moved to the state appear to have brought their previous denominational ties with them.

On the other hand, it appears that denominational loyalty has weakened considerably and people are more and more willing to switch church memberships from one denomination to another. For example, a survey of North Carolina Episcopalians that was conducted in the early 1990s found that a substantial number of parishioners had come from other denominations and that a common reason for joining an Episcopal church was that they had a friend who belonged to it. In the following maps of the distribution of religious adherents, the patterns can be explained, at least to some extent, by a number of factors, including rural/urban contrasts, historical associations and recent in-migrants to the state.

Unfortunately, the statistics in the Glenmary report do not include some historically African American denominations, such as AME Zion or Black Baptist churches. A major effort was made by the survey authors to include these denominations in the study but they do not keep records nationally. The magnitude of this omission is indicated by the fact that in 1990, when their statistics were reported, the AME Zion church in North Carolina had 312,693 adherents and Black Baptist churches included another 462,785 people. The total number of religious adherents in North Carolina represented 45.5% of the state’s population in 2000, less than the national average of 50.2%. No doubt the absence of these historically African American denominations caused the North Carolina proportion to fall below the national average. In fact, if the 1990 numbers for these two historically black churches are added to the 2000 totals for all other denominations, the North Carolina proportion of adherents would rise to 55% of the population, well above the national mean.

This is not to say that African Americans were totally excluded from this study because many of them are members of Southern Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, and other denominations. Nonetheless, the omission of historically African American denominations must be considered when analyzing religious adherence in areas of the state that have significant black populations.

Historic Sandy Creek Baptist Church in Liberty. Established in 1755 by Elder Shubal Stearns and is one of NC's oldest churches (SCBC, Mike Teague)
Trinity Presbyterian Church in Charlotte	Religious Adherents in North Carolina The Geographic Distribution of Major Denominations The Catholic Church The Church of God (Cleveland, TN) The Episcopal Church The Lutheran Church The Penecostal Holiness Church The Presbyterian (USA) Church The Southern Baptist Convention The United Church of Christ The United Methodist Church
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Religious Adherents in North Carolina

Table 1 provides statistics on the number of religious adherents in North Carolina and their growth between 1990 and 2000. They increased by 14.8% during that decade, a rate that was less than the statewide population growth rate of 21.4%. There is no way to know how the previously mentioned absence of the historically African American churches from these numbers might have affected this growth rate. Table 1 shows that there were nine denominations that reported at least 50,000 adherents each in North Carolina in 2000. They represented almost 83% of the total number of religious adherents reported for the state. Interestingly, these nine largest denominations, while adding over 300,000 adherents, grew by just 11.2%, in contrast with the 35% growth rate of all of the other religious groups. Table 1 also contains data on several other of the larger Christian denominations, as well as a number of non-Christian groups.

Clearly, the Southern Baptist Convention is the largest religious body in North Carolina, accounting for fully half of the state’s number of religious adherents and one-third of the houses of worship. Otherwise, only the Catholic, Methodist, and Presbyterian (USA) churches accounted for more than 100,000 adherents each. In addition to the Catholic church growth, the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and the International Penecostal Holiness churches exhibited high growth rates.

The growth of these various religious groups is testimony to the increasing diversity of North Carolina's population. As shown in the Population chapter, most of the state's recent growth has come from people moving into the state from around the country and from overseas. Among the many things that they bring with them are their religious affiliations, as evidenced by the increasing number of Catholics and other faith groups that, until recent years, were only modestly represented in North Carolina.

Artist's Rendition of Centre Friends Meeting in Greensboro (Jane C. Jones)

The Geographic Distribution of Major Denominations

Inside of Sandy Creek Church's Third Church Building (SCBC)

Figures 2 through 10 display the proportion that the number of adherents in each of the nine largest denominations contribute to the population in each county. Only the Southern Baptist and United Methodist churches are present in all of the state’s 100 counties. Again, it is well to remember that the adherents of the historically African American churches are not displayed in these maps.

The state hosts several major seminaries. Prominent among them are the Duke University Divinity School in Durham, the Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, and the Hood Theological Seminary (AME Zion) in Salisbury.

The Catholic Church

The fastest growing among the state’s larger denominations was the Catholic church, which more than doubled the number of its adherents between 1990 and 2000. This increase in the number of adherents caused the Catholic church’s share of the state total to rise from 4.7 to 8.6%. While the amount of Catholic adherents grew rapidly, the number of congregations in which they worship increased by only five, from 175 to 180. As a result, the average congregation size increased dramatically, from 854 adherents in 1990 to 1,753 in 2000. This was far larger than for any of the other larger denominations.

Figure 2 displays the relative distribution of Catholics within the state. The growth of the Catholic church in North Carolina is a relatively recent phenomenon. It appears to be associated primarily with the in-migration of people from the northeastern US, where the Catholic Church is historically strong, and of Latinos, many of whom also are of the Catholic faith. The association of Catholics with recent in-migrants explains the fact that the larger proportions of them are found in several different types of locations. One is in metro areas such as Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Onslow, Orange, and Wake counties. Others are in Dare, Moore, Pasquotank, and Polk counties, all popular destinations for retirees from other parts of the US. Yet another location is in some rural/agricultural areas that have attracted Latino farm workers. Sampson County illustrates this pattern. On the other hand, several counties, primarily in the northeastern corner of the state, reported no Catholic congregations. These areas are also among those that are experiencing either population losses or slow growth, as shown in the Population chapter.

The Church of God (Cleveland, TN)

Adherents of the Church of God denomination that is headquartered in Cleveland, TN also experienced rapid growth between 1990 and 2000, rising in number by nearly 48% (Table 1). In fact, among the larger denominations, their growth rate was second only to that of the Catholic Church. The congregations are relatively smaller, each averaging 185 adherents. Figure 3 shows that these congregations, while well represented in the Charlotte metro area, are concentrated primarily in many of the state’s rural areas. Most notable is a belt along the Inner Coastal Plain that crosses the state from Halifax to Robeson County. On the other hand, northeastern North Carolina contains most of the counties that contain no Church of God congregations.

The Episcopal Church

Historically, the Episcopal Church represented the English colonists who settled in eastern North Carolina, many moving in overland from Virginia. Over time this association has weakened, of course, and, as shown in Figure 4, but Episcopalians are still concentrated relatively heavily in northeastern North Carolina and in the Wilmington area. It may be that a number of in-migrants, both retirees and otherwise, are Episcopalians, as indicated by the somewhat higher proportions in the Triangle, the Triad and in the Charlotte area. In addition, proportions are higher in several retirement areas, notably Moore, Polk and Watauga counties, along with others in the far western part of the state. These congregations average 316 adherents apiece.

The relative strength of the Episcopal church in western North Carolina is another example of the holdover of historic patterns. In the pre-Civil war period, numerous plantation owners from eastern North and South Carolina would move to the mountains to escape the hot summers and the threat of malaria. They were predominantly Episcopalians and brought their denomination with them. Also, some Episcopalian missions were established in the west, an example being in the Valle Cruces community in Watauga County.

The Lutheran Church

Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) also have a link with North Carolina’s past. During the colonial period, German migrants settled on the Piedmont corridor and established Lutheran churches as they did. Figure 5 illustrates the contemporary pattern of these churches. It appears to reflect this historic pattern, with the highest proportions occurring in the central part of the state along the Piedmont corridor and in the Wilmington area. Again, apparently some of the retirees who moved to the state are Lutherans, as shown by the higher proportions in Moore and Watauga counties, as well as in and around the Asheville area. Still others are in the Wilmington area and along the central Coastal Plain, other sites favored by retirees. ELCA congregations are mid-sized, with about 375 adherents each.

Another component of the Lutheran Church is the Missouri Synod. It differs from its larger counterpart by espousing a literal interpretation of scripture and denying ordination to women. While significantly smaller than the ELCA, Missouri Synod congregations grew faster between 1990 and 2000 (Table 1). These congregations are found in much the same areas as the more numerous ones of the ELCA.

The Penecostal Holiness Church

The International Penecostal Holiness church was another one that grew substantially in North Carolina between 1990 and 2000, adding over 28% to its number of adherents during that decade. These relatively small churches, with 153 adherents per congregation, are scattered mostly in rural areas (Figure 6).. The largest concentration is in the eastern part of the state, in a belt that extends southeastward from Camden and Hertford counties to Scotland and Robeson counties. It is only slightly represented in most larger urban counties and retirement areas. No congregations are reported in most of the western part of the state.

The Presbyterian (USA) Church

Presbyterian churches were originally brought into the state by both Scots-Irish and Highland Scots in-migrants. The former settled mostly on the Piedmont while the Highland Scots came in through the Cape Fear Valley and, in some cases, moved on into mountain coves in the western part of the state. In the past, it was said that in Mecklenburg County there were more Presbyterians than people! While never literally true, of course, today Presbyterian (USA) adherents make up only 6% of the population in Mecklenburg, trailing Baptists, Catholics, and Methodists in that regard. In fact, the Presbyterian church (USA) saw the number of its adherents decline slightly statewide between 1990 and 2000. It is another mid-sized denomination, with 276 adherents per church. As Figure 7 shows, Presbyterian congregations are found in 92 counties, with the heaviest concentration still found in parts of the Piedmont corridor but also on its eastern flank and in some other eastern counties. They are least well represented in the northeastern part of the state, where six counties lack a single congregation.

Another component of Presbyterianism in the state is the Presbyterian Church in America. It was formed in the 1970s at about the same time that the northern and southern branches of the church were moving toward reunification to form the current PC USA. It is somewhat like the Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church in that it is more conservative than is its larger counterpart . It has fewer than 10% of the number of adherents as the PC USA but it experienced stronger recent growth, adding almost 65% to the number of its adherents between 1990 and 2000. This growth may help explain the decline in PC USA numbers since many Southern Presbyterian congregations that were opposed to reunification withdrew to join the PC in America instead.

The Southern Baptist Convention

The large Southern Baptist church congregations increased in number by 190 between 1990 and 2000. The average congregation is relatively large, averaging 407 adherents in 2000. As Figure 8 shows, they were found in every one of the state’s 100 counties. The greatest relative concentrations are found in western North Carolina and in the northeastern and southeastern corners of the state. On the other hand, the smaller proportions (which still account for 10% to 15% of the population-more than almost any other denomination) are in the central part of eastern North Carolina, along with central counties of the some of the larger metro areas, notably Forsyth, Mecklenburg and Orange counties. In fact, proportions of Baptist adherents are smaller throughout much of the Piedmont corridor but, here again, in most areas Baptists make up between 10% and 20% of the total population, levels that are far higher than other denominations. These levels appear low only in comparison with the 40% or higher levels that are prevalent in nearby western counties, such as Cleveland, Rutherford, Burke, Caldwell, and Wilkes.

The United Church of Christ

The church of Christ suffered a slight decline in its number of adherents between 1990 and 2000. Its congregations are relatively small, averaging 214 adherents per church. The distribution of its congregations is displayed in Figure 9. Congregations are present in less than half of the state’s counties. In stark contrast with the ubiquitous Baptists, the county with the highest proportion of religious adherents is Warren, with almost 6% of the population. It is one of only four that show shares of at least 5%. Most of the Church of Christ congregations are found in the central and northern parts of the Piedmont corridor and in a related belt that extends from Raleigh through the New Bern area.

The Church of Christ is the result of mergers of earlier denominations, the Old German Reformed church and the Republican Methodist church. The latter had even earlier ties with the New England Congregationalist church. The German Reformed church located where Germans originally settled in North Carolina, mainly on the Piedmont. The Republican Methodist church, on the other hand, developed primarily in eastern North Carolina. Elements of both patterns can be seen in the distribution today of Church of Christ congregations (Figure 9).

The United Methodist Church

Along with Baptists, Methodist congregations were the only ones that were represented in every one of the state’s 100 counties (Figure 10) and they had the second largest number of adherents in North Carolina. They also had a modest increase in number between 1990 and 2000. These congregations are somewhat larger than most, with 325 adherents per church. The Methodist church is the only one that has more adherents is any county than does the Baptist church. This happens in 10 counties, almost all along the northern coast or the Inner Coastal Plain back of the coast. Although not more numerous than Baptists, Methodist congregations are also well represented throughout much of the Piedmont corridor, but their proportions drop off somewhat in both the eastern and western parts of the state. That is where most of the counties that have fewer than 5% Methodist adherents in their populations are located.

A significant factor in the development of the Methodist church in North Carolina has been the financial support for Methodist church development that is provided by the Duke Endowment.