changing landscape part ii

From 1990 to 2000 the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America grew by 26,431 members in the greater Mpls/St. Paul metro area. This represents a growth rate of 6.8 percent over the ten-year period. This is in many ways quite concerning when we consider that the population for the metro area grew at 16.9 percent and the growth rate across all faith communities was 11.8 percent.

But considering that 9 of the 11 mainline protestant denominations decreased in membership at an average decline of 16.9 percent, the ELCA would seem to be doing a better job than its mainline counterparts in at least retaining its own members.

Or consider this: 56.5 percent of the population of the MSP metro is reported as adherents compared to 91 percent in Jackson County in rural SW Minnesota or to only 37 percent adherents in Seattle or Portland.

The religious landscape is indeed changing at a rapid rate right here in the heart of Lutherandom. Click here to visit an interesting site with everything you would like to know about demographics and adherents to particular faith traditions.