Exploring the Pandemic Impact on Congregations: Innovation Amidst and Beyond COVID-19 is a five-year research project funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. and led by the Hartford Institute for Religion Research. The focus of this expansive initiative is to research, collect, and disseminate data about the possible changes and long-term implications the pandemic might have on religious life across the United States. Through this centralized online hub, congregational and denominational leaders, religious scholars, and the general public will have free access to a growing repository of curated resources, practical tools, and guidance—drawn from our own research and from our cross-denominational partners.
HARTFORD, April 24, 2026 — For the first time in 25 years, median in-person worship attendance at U.S. congregations has increased, according to new research from the Exploring the Pandemic Impact
Read MoreThe views expressed in this opinion column are those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect the views of EPIC. By Rev. Jordan Parker There is a moment every Sunday, just before worsh
Read MoreAllison Norton has spent her career asking the questions religious communities are already asking themselves — from Ghanaian diaspora churches in Los Angeles to immigrant-majority congregations navi
Read MoreMillions of Americans attend church every week. For many, much of their religious and spiritual engagement ends when the worship service does, according to new research from the Exploring the Pandem
Read MoreRead about the new director of Hartford Institute for Religion Research, Dr. Allison Norton!
www.covidreligionresearch.org
Allison Norton has spent her career asking the questions religious communities are already asking themselvesA new report from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research finds that 67% of U.S. megachurches have grown since before COVID-19, with nearly all of them (97%) describing their congregation as "spiritually vital and alive" — the highest mark in the survey's 25-year history.See full report here:
MegaMegachurch Resurgence 2026
www.covidreligionresearch.org
America's megachurches have not just recovered from the pandemic — they've come back stronger.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
A pastor's take on our "Signs of Rebound Amid Uneven Recovery" findings: congregations aren't just recovering — many are recalibrating into something new. One clergy member reflects on what that looks like from the pulpit, and why the deepest signs of congregational health may never show up in an attendance graph. www.covidreligionresearch.org/what-i-see-every-sunday-before-worship/Asylum Hill Congregational Church
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Research doesn’t just live in academic journals — it can spark conversations, stories and a deeper understanding of our communities.In this appreciation of Scott Thumma, journalist G Jeffrey MacDonald reflects on how Thumma’s decades of work studying congregations — and his willingness to collaborate with journalists — helped advance reporting on the changing landscape of American religious life.Read the full piece: bit.ly/4erRHtr#ReligionNews #JournalismMatters #FaithCommunities
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As a sociologist of religion, Dr. Scott Thumma used all of the above to help disseminate the breadth of what he’s learned over decades about congregations in America.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Thanks, Sojourners, for this article!
Churches Are Rebounding After COVID-19. Yes, Really
sojo.net
For the first time since 2022, congregations are growing—and it goes beyond in-person attendance.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
"They might just be getting their religion for the week when they're showing up for church."That's how Hartford Institute researcher Charissa Mikoski describes a striking new finding: nearly 40% of church attenders don't regularly engage in faith practices outside of Sunday.Reporter Tara Roberts has the full story.
www.covidreligionresearch.org
For many churchgoers, much of their religious and spiritual engagement ends when the worship service does, according to new research..0 CommentsComment on Facebook
The Church of England is showing a COVID-rebound
Church of England celebrates continued post-pandemic growth
www.christiantoday.com
The Church said it was encouraged by five years in a row of growth while acknowledging that growth, attendance and participation remain below pre-pandemic levels.0 CommentsComment on Facebook
Our project is gathering both broad, nationally representative surveys and detailed ethnographic case studies of how religious congregations are changing and adapting in the wake of COVID-19.
Whether you are a church leader, a denominational executive or an academic researcher exploring the religious reality during and after the pandemic, we welcome your involvement.
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