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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA)

@religiondata.bsky.social

1.1K followers 265 following 231 posts

www.thearda.com The ARDA includes a variety of tools designed to foster better research, teaching, and understanding of religion data. Always free to access. Nonpartisan/nonsectarian.

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 3h

Lilly Endowment has launched the Serving Neighbors Through Congregational Collaborations Initiative to support programs that encourage local communities to build stronger ties between congregations and charitable organizations. Read more about this Initiative at: lillyendowment.org/serving-neig....

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Recent datasets are now available for free access on the ARDA, from the longest-running barometer of public opinion in Afghanistan to three waves of @pewresearch.org's American Trends Panel. Explore these and other datasets now on thearda.com.

Reposted by The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA)

Andrew Whitehead @andrew-whitehead.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

***NEW REPORT*** Using a large (23,000 people) national survey collected in 2026 by @kettering.org & @gallup.com, I wrote this expansive report on Christian nationalism and Americans' views of democracy. As we head toward Nov., this report shows us what is at stake. kettering.org/christian-na...

Christian Nationalism and the State of American Democracy in 2026

What do Christian nationalists mean by "democracy"? New Democracy for All Project survey data reveals competing visions of power, citizenship, and democratic values.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Read the full article by @ryanburge.bsky.social now on the ARDA.

Parents and Adult Children Aren't Fighting as Much as TikTok Thinks

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Parents and Adult Children Aren't Fighting as Much as TikTok Thinks ; Date: 2026-09-17

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

Visualizations and analysis from #AheadOfTheTrend, now available on the ARDA. It’s easy to posit that certain religious beliefs lead to parenting styles that generate hard feelings and distance. But there is no strong evidence that animosity is widespread between parents and their adult children.

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Did you know that heresy can refer to religious behavior as well as belief? In the ARDA Dictionary, popular religion terms are not only defined but also contextualized with sources for further research and learning, as seen in this entry. Discover more terms at www.thearda.com/research/rel....

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Parents and Adult Children Aren't Fighting as Much as TikTok Thinks | #AheadOfTheTrend The @pewresearch.org American Trends Panel (Wave 137) seeks “to evaluate the relationships between parents and their adult children.” The survey checks perceptions on both sides of this debate using one source.

Parents and Adult Children Aren't Fighting as Much as TikTok Thinks

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Parents and Adult Children Aren't Fighting as Much as TikTok Thinks ; Date: 2026-09-17

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Although Christianity has been dominant in the religious history of America, freedom of religious expression has allowed non-Christian faiths to develop and thrive. This learning module explores the important events, movements, and people who increased the diversity of America's religious landscape.

Religious Minorities (Non-Christians) in American History

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Who Do You Talk to When You’re Struggling? www.thearda.com/categories/a...

Who Do You Talk to When You’re Struggling?

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Who Do You Talk to When You’re Struggling? ; Date: 2026-09-10

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

"Social atomization has real consequences, both seen and unseen. As this data shows, the question isn’t just whether Americans have someone to open up to—it’s that even the answer to 'who would you trust?' now depends on their politics, their education, and their pew." #AheadOfTheTrend

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Our colleagues at the Black Church Burning Project have created an archive of Black churches and congregations that were burned, bombed, or otherwise attacked during the Civil Rights era to ensure these stories aren't forgotten. To learn more and submit cases, visit blackchurchburningproject.org.

blackchurchburningproject.org

Black Church Burning Project

A digital humanities archive documenting the history of attacks on Black churches across the United States.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

On this day in 1963, a Black Baptist church in Birmingham became a target of racist violence. That day, Klu Klux Klan members planted a bomb, which detonated inside the 16th Street Baptist Church. The explosion killed four girls—Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson, and Denise McNair.

News exhibit regarding the Birmingham church bombings — Flickr photo by dbking (CC BY 2.0)

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Who Do You Talk to When You’re Struggling? | #AheadOfTheTrend Recent data from @pewresearch.org shows that only a third of non-evangelical Protestants, Catholics, and LDS members feel very or extremely comfortable speaking with their pastor about their struggles. For evangelicals, it jumps to 56%.

Who Do You Talk to When You’re Struggling?

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Who Do You Talk to When You’re Struggling? ; Date: 2026-09-10

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Evangelicals in the United States | Free Learning Module How much does the average person really know about evangelical Christianity? This college-level exercise illustrates how you can use the Association of Religion Data Archives to explore data related to belief systems in American religion.

Evangelicals in the United States

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

Learn more about the encyclical and other important religious events using the ARDA's Timelines feature: www.thearda.com/us-religion/....

Entry | Timelines | US Religion

Details On People, Events or Movements for a US Religion Timeline

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 08/09/2026

On this day in 1907, Pope Pius X issued the encyclical "Pascendi Dominici Gregis," which classified Modernism as "the synthesis of all heresies." It was followed by the introduction of an anti-Modernist oath in 1910, which was required to be sworn by all priests of the Catholic Church.

A copy of the cover of Pascendi Gregis by Pope Pius X.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The ARDA Guiding Paper Series allows prominent scholars to provide guidance on the study of religion and new research agendas. From improved measurement concepts to rethinking commonly held assumptions on religion, these papers represent essential framing for the study of religion today.

Guiding Papers | Research

The ARDA Guiding Paper Series Allows Prominent Scholars to Provide Guidance Papers On The Study of Religion and New Research Agendas

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

How often do survey respondents report religious experiences—miraculous healings, feeling the presence of a deity, visions, or near-death experiences—in their everyday lives? This free learning module explores the degree to which Americans report having these various religious experiences.

Religious Experience in Everyday Life

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Browse the latest additions to the archive now at www.thearda.com/data-archive....

Newest Additions Browse | Data Archive

Browse Newest Data Collections in Data Archive Ordered by Addition Date

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Five datasets have been added for free access in our archive. These datasets cover a variety of topics, including American elections, the news media, mosques in the United States, and policy advocacy. Access these archive additions by @pewresearch.org, @prri.org, and others in the comments.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Find the full ARDA dictionary at www.thearda.com/research/rel....

Religion Dictionary | Research

Dictionary Containing Hundreds of Religion and Statistical Term Definitions

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Have you explored the full collection of religion and statistical terms in the ARDA's dictionary? The final two terms detail Zoroastrianism. Discover this and many other definitions in the link in the comments.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 28/08/2026

Just as religion can be studied at the institutional, organizational, and individual levels, as well as how trends in each may change over time, we can similarly study secularisms. The ARDA team has developed a free, college-level learning module to better understand data on global secularism.

Secularism Across the Globe

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

Read the full #AheadOfTheTrend column now at www.thearda.com/categories/a....

Belief Isn't Dying, It's Just Getting Less Certain

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Belief Isn't Dying, It's Just Getting Less Certain ; Date: 2026-08-20

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

"An overarching conclusion from @pewresearch.org's latest Religious Landscape Study is that it’s pretty rare to find an individual who says that they have a great deal of confidence in their belief that God doesn’t exist. In the full sample, it’s just 13%." — @ryanburge.bsky.social #AheadOfTheTrend

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

Browse dozens of topics and see responses from major national surveys and demographic patterns. The ARDA's Quickstats feature provides in-depth statistics for a variety of beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors on U.S. Religion. Each topic has sourced data graphs, and notes for better understanding.

Beliefs, Behaviors and Belonging (Quickstats) | Statistics | US Religion

Browse Dozens of Topics with Responses from Major US National Surveys and Demographic Patterns

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The @pewresearch.org Religious Landscape Survey asks a question about belief and follows up with certainty about that belief. This setup ensures everyone gets the second question, no matter how they answered the first one. This edition of #AheadOfTheTrend looks at the distinction of certainty.

Belief Isn't Dying, It's Just Getting Less Certain

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Belief Isn't Dying, It's Just Getting Less Certain ; Date: 2026-08-20

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

Want to conduct a deep dive into religion data? The ARDA has curated lists of resources for researchers, educators, journalists, and congregations to provide information related to your context. From archives and indexes to journals and associations, see our list of external resources below.

Reference Links | About

Reference Links to Sites Related to the ARDA, grouped for Researchers, Educators, Journalists and Congregations

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

Free Module | Religion in United States Public Schools The role of religion in public schools has long been a topic of debate. As many public schools begin their fall semesters, learn more about the opinions of average Americans on the place of religion within the classroom.

Religion in United States Public Schools

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

Read the full column on the retention problem of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at www.thearda.com/categories/a....

The LDS Church Has a Retention Problem

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: The LDS Church Has a Retention Problem ; Date: 2026-08-06

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"Retention rates in the LDS faith have always been lower than other religious groups, and they keep falling with each successive generation. While conversion and births might slow the decline, it’s numerically impossible to add people at a rate fast enough to balance out the losses from defection."

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

"Among those raised in the LDS faith where religion was very or somewhat important to both their family and themselves and they attended church weekly, retention was about 68%. What about those raised in an environment deficient in at least one of those factors? Retention was a paltry 25%."

Reposted by The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA)

Brian Nosek @briannosek.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Over the next several months, we will phase out some popular OSF features. These changes do not affect current public content, which remains safe and accessible. We have prepared support material to help users adapt. I am very sorry for the disruption to your work. Please read this post for details.

OSF Changes | Center for Open Science

We are preparing substantial changes to OSF that will reduce its functionality, focus OSF on its unique strengths, and move toward an integrated model with complementary services. As part of that shif...

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

New datasets are added to the ARDA each month and are always free to access. This month, we've added recent research on American elections, why adults choose not to have children, and global religious restrictions. Discover all the archive has to offer at www.thearda.com/data-archive....

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

"Among those born in the 1990s and 2000s who left Christianity behind, only about a third identify as Democrats. These younger 'dechurchers' don’t look like political refugees; they simply stopped going—gradually, quietly, without it meaning much ideologically." #AheadOfTheTrend

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Musical Instruments in American Churches Music has long been an important part of worship services in the United States.This learning module explores the ways in which Americans integrate musical instruments into their worship services.

Musical Instruments in American Churches

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Have you explored the ARDA's free Community Profile Builder? This resource assists church and community leaders in accessing free information about their communities, including social, economic, and religious data. Learn more at www.thearda.com/us-religion/....

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

The First Wave Left with Conviction. The Second Wave Just Drifted. Two-thirds of Americans indicate that their current religious tradition is the one in which they were raised. Read the latest installment of #AheadOfTheTrend, to see how mass secularization would eventually normalize religious exit.

The First Wave Left with Conviction. The Second Wave Just Drifted

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: The First Wave Left with Conviction. The Second Wave Just Drifted ; Date: 2026-07-16

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

It is a common assumption that older people are more religious than young people. Yet, there are multiple ways to measure religiosity, and individuals can be more religious in one way compared to another. This free learning module explores the relationship between age and religiosity.

Religion and Age

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

The ARDA has compiled lists of relevant external resources for researchers, educators, journalists, and congregations to assist in their understanding of religion data. Explore our collection and let us know what other resources we should add! Reference Links: www.thearda.com/about/refere...

Reference Links | About

Reference Links to Sites Related to the ARDA, grouped for Researchers, Educators, Journalists and Congregations

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

Read the full column at www.thearda.com/categories/a....

The Purists Are Losing: How American Catholics Are Rewriting the Rules

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: The Purists Are Losing: How American Catholics Are Rewriting the Rules ; Date: 2026-07-02

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 20/07/2026

If one spends any time in religious corners of social media, it seems that devoutly religious people have become strident and often belligerent. Data strongly rejects that notion. Among Catholics, there is more willingness to reject the Church’s teachings on a number of controversial topics.

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Methods for Exploring Religion | Free College Module This activity introduces common research methods used for collecting data as well as tools from the ARDA designed to help students and researchers better understand it.

Methods for Exploring Religion

Reposted by The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA)

Brian Steensland @bsteens.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Excited to have this article out in the world. Hopefully our framework helps scholars name and study more of what’s happening in contemporary US religion.

Reposted by The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA)

Center for the Study of Religion & American Culture @csraac.bsky.social · 14/07/2026

As the fall semester approaches don't forget about our Teaching Resource Library! We support scholarly teaching, and learning with access to these free resources from many types of scholars. Explore resources or submit a resource to help grow our library! raac.indianapolis.iu.edu/resources/

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Explore the most significant events and people in the history of American religion. The ARDA’s Timelines of American Religion place a wealth of information—including text, pictures, graphs and more—at your fingertips and within historical context.

Interactive Display | Timelines | US Religion

Interactive Historical Timelines of US Religion With Details On People, Events and Movements

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

The ARDA team often hears from ministry leaders and community organizers on the impact of the Community Profile Builder. We recently interviewed two Indianapolis-based leaders who use the resource to understand the neighborhoods in which they live and serve. Read the full article:

Context for Community Engagement: ARDA’s Community Profile Builder

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: Context for Community Engagement: ARDA’s Community Profile Builder ; Date: 2026-06-30

The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Read the full analysis by @ryanburge.bsky.social at www.thearda.com/categories/a....

The Purists Are Losing: How American Catholics Are Rewriting the Rules

Ahead of the Trend Article - Title: The Purists Are Losing: How American Catholics Are Rewriting the Rules ; Date: 2026-07-02

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Latest insights from #AheadOfTheTrend: "Among Catholics, even the ones who go to Mass every week, they seem more willing to reject the Church’s teachings on a number of controversial topics. And they are not willing to cut people off from the Catholic Church." Read more in the pinned comment.

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The Association of Religion Data Archives (The ARDA) @religiondata.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Is the United States a Christian Nation? Various politicians, religious leaders, and citizens embrace the idea that the United States was founded as a Christian nation. This learning module will explore the extent to which Americans espouse this belief. Download the free module on the ARDA.

Is the United States a Christian Nation?