Overview Report

Clergy in America 

Chaves, Mark, Anna Holleman, and Joseph Roso. 2025. Durham, NC: Duke University, Department of Sociology.

The National Survey of Religious Leaders (NSRL) report constitutes a significant resource for helping journalists, academics, clergy, and lay people deepen their knowledge about religious leaders in 21st-century America. It takes a deep dive into the state of clergy in America, from their demographic make-up to their obesity rates, from their religious beliefs to their attitudes about depression, from their involvement with politics to the challenges of pastoring amidst declining institutional commitment.

Introductory Article

The National Survey of Religious Leaders: Background, Methods, and Lessons Learned in the Research Process

Chaves, Mark, Joseph Roso, and Anna Holleman. 2022. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 61(3-4):737-749.