Face of Louisiana religion

The Pew Forum U.S. Religious Landscape Survey has generated lots of buzz about its conclusions that people are don't seem to be committed to their denominations anymore.

Yesterday's Conversations section featured a piece by Peter Huff, Centenary religion professor, analyzing this trend.

The survey has some interesting data specific to Louisiana. Here's a few tidbits:

* 31 percent of the state's population considers themselves Evangelical (which includes Baptists, Pentecostals and several non-denominational churches)

* 28 percent of Louisianians are Catholic

* 20 percent belong to historically black churches

* 8 percent are unaffiliated, compared to 16 percent nationwide

On a national level the survey compared religions on various demographic levels, and here's a few of those conclusions:

* More people in the 30 to 49 age group are likely to be unaffiliated than those in the 18-29 group.

* Jehovah's Witnesses and Catholics are the most racially diverse groups.

* Hindus and Mormons are most likely to be married and least likely to be divorced

* Women are the majority of members in Christian churches and men are the majority in non-Christian traditions

Have fun digging through yourself. Any insights? Please share.

St. Mark's update

St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral seems to be making progress in its search for a new dean (that's pastor in non-Episcopal speech).

Last week's bulletin said its parish profile is finished and available for applicants to peruse. The document presents a pretty comprehensive look at the church from demographics to worship styles to outreach ministries.

It would be helpful for anyone looking at joining the church as well. It might be a good thing for every church to periodically put together a similar document to answer some big questions: who are you? what do you do? what do you need? and make sure ministries are all in line with those needs and goals.

At St. Mark's the calling committee is now sifting through applicants. Good luck to them as they continue to search for a new leader!

Happy New Year!

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, begins at sundown today.

My story, which runs tomorrow, looks at the demographics and the future of the Jewish community in Shreveport. It was a hard, sad story to write. The Jewish congregations are vital, spiritual places and members are active in the wider community, and I wanted to make that clear. In fact, I was floored when I heard there are only 400 Jews in Shreveport - I knew it was a small group, but I didn't think it was that small. But the reality of the numbers means they might not be able to maintain their facilities and structures for very long. Read it - let me know what you think could be done.

With that said, the story doesn't discuss the particulars of the holiday very much, so I thought I would add some of that here. Rosh Hashanah begins 10 days of reflection and repentance leading up to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement on Sept. 22. They are explicitly mentioned in the Bible (Leviticus 23:23-32) and are the most important holidays in the calendar. The period is commonly referred to as the High Holy Days.

The holiday begins festively, with apples and honey being one of the preferred foods to symbolize a sweet New Year. Services are characterized by the blowing of the shofar, or rams horn. The shofar calls to mind the Kingship of God and his eventual judgement of people.

To all my Jewish friends, I wish you many blessings.

Photo: Rabbi Foster Kawaler, of Congregation Agudath Achim, blows a shofar. Times file photo