The PASTCF Member Survey (2011)
In the late summer of this year (2011) PASTCF members were contacted either by postcard or email and invited to participate in a member survey to assist the Executive Board in its long range planning for the Association. Of the 324 members contacted, 108 or one-third of the membership completed the survey that was provided online through Survey Monkey®. This is the first of two reports on the results of that survey. The second will appear in the February issue of SciTech† and will cover the narrative responses and comments from the survey. Below is a summary of the statistical results. (Click HERE to download the survey data.)
It is worth noting that of the 108 members who completed the survey, only one had received notice of the survey exclusively by postcard.
Overall Demographic:
PASTCF is largely a well-educated older male organization mostly made up of lay folk.
Age:
Of those responding 84% were male and 83% were 56 or older. 42% were older than 70.
Occupation:
Occupationally, 16% were pastors, 12% were college or university science faculty, 4% were college or university humanities faculty, 3% were research scientists, and 3% were applied scientists. 54% indicated that they were retired.
Of those retired, 30% were college or university science faculty, 27% were pastors, 19% were research scientists, 11% were applied scientists, and 5% were college or university humanities faculty.
Of the respondents five were middle or high school teachers, four were math or science teachers and one was a language arts and foreign language teacher.
Education:
48% of those responding had earned a PhD and 7% some other professional degree. 11% had earned a Master of Divinity degree, 9% each a Master of Science or Doctor of Ministry degree, and 8% a Master of Arts.
Professional Associations:
With regard to professional associations, 19% are members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, 5% are members of the American Scientific Affiliation, and 2% are members of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators. 33% are members of some other professional science, engineering or science education association (e.g., American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, American Association of Physics Teachers, etc).
PASTCF Membership Status:
Of those responding 78% were regular PASTCF members, 8% were contributing members, 6% were sustaining members, 2% were student members, and 7% could not remember their membership status. 53% of respondents had been PASTCF members for five years or longer, 30% ten years or longer, and 15% fifteen years or longer.
Local Science and Christian Faith Communities:
The majority of PASTCF members have found local Christian folk that share their interests in science and faith matters. 65% of the respondents find themselves connected with fellow Christians interested in such matters.
Science, Technology and Sermons:
Members reported that their pastors were more likely to address scientific discoveries in their sermons than matters of technological development. 11% reported that their pastor’s sermons frequently make reference to scientific discoveries. 44% reported such references occasionally, 36% rarely, and 8% never. In contrast 9% reported that their pastor’s sermons frequently made reference to technological developments, 40% reported occasional references, 41 % rare references, and 9% no references at all.
Science, Technology and Christian Education:
With regard to congregational Christian education, programs addressing the relation of science and the Christian faith were somewhat more likely than those addressing the relation of the Christian faith and technology.
The respondents reported that there is some interest in the adult Christian education programs of their congregations in programs addressing science and the Christian faith. 7% reported that their congregations had such programs frequently and 50% occasionally, 34% reported such programs rarely and only 4% never. With regard to programs addressing technology and the Christian faith, on the other hand, 6% reported such programs frequently, 43% occasionally, 37% rarely, and 10% never.
The respondents were less likely to know whether these topics were addressed in their congregations’ educational programs for youth. 41% reported that they did not know, 2% indicated frequently, 21% occasionally, 27% rarely, and 10% never. The figures for youth education programs addressing technology and the Christian faith are comparable: 42% reporting they did not know, 3% frequently, 22% occasionally, 25% rarely, and 8% never.
When asked whether confirmation classes addressed the relation of science and technology and the Christian faith, respondents were much more uncertain. 61% indicated that they did not know, 11% indicated that the topics were addressed and 28% indicated that they were not.
Church and Electronic Media:
However, when it comes to the use of technology especially electronic or digital media, this is becoming much more common place in congregational life. Almost 100% of the respondents reported that their congregations used email, 47% reported use of Facebook, 40% use of PowerPoint in the Christian education program, 31% use of PowerPoint in worship, and 12% use of Twitter.
Science and Christian Faith Perspectives:
When reporting their own perspectives in the relation of science and the Christian faith, 89% of the members saw this relationship as one of necessary interaction, 7% as separation in distinct domains, and 3% as one of necessary conflict. On the other hand, when assessing their congregations’ perspectives, 41% reported that their congregations saw this relationship as separation in distinct domains, 32% as necessarily interactive, 3% as one of necessary conflict, and 25% indicated that they could not decide what the perspective of their congregation was.
SciTech†:
62% of the responding members reported that they read all or most of each SciTech† issue. 45% indicated that they keep articles that are of particular interest. 29% read only the articles in which they have an interest. 24% skim all or most of each issue. 17% make the issue available to others after they have read or skimmed it. 14% discard the issue after reading or skimming. Only 4% indicated that they seldom read anything in SciTech†.
When it came to the form of delivery, 63% indicated that they preferred receiving SciTech† in hard copy. 37% indicated that they would prefer a electronic delivery.
Web Site:
Respondents indicated that the PASTCF web site is visited infrequently. 43% indicated that they had visited the site once or twice but 40% reported that they had never visited the site. 14% indicated that they had visited the site several times during the past year and 3% that they visited to site monthly.
PASTCF Program Priorities:
When asked to rank programmatic priorities for the Association, members ranked “developing educational materials” first (73%) closely followed at second (72%) with publishing SciTech† on a quarterly basis. Third (54%) was advising the PCUSA on matters of science, technology and the Christian faith and fourth (52%) was providing workshops for local churches.
After these first tier of priorities the members chose representing the PCUSA in science and faith gatherings (41%) at fifth, providing an exhibit at the annual meeting of the Association of Presbyterian Church Educators (40%) at sixth, and developing confirmation class resources was seventh (37%). [Note: Also in this second tier of priorities at 37% was providing local church workshops.]
Over the past 20 years Presbyterians have taken the lead in organizing and implementing an ecumenical outreach to the scientific community at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. This activity was ranked seventh in the first tier of priorities (32%) and sixth in the second tier (31%).
Direct Member Activities:
57% of the responding members indicated that they would be willing to evaluate church educational materials for scientific and/or theological integrity. 44% were willing to serve as PASTCF liaisons with their presbytery. 37% indicated that they would be willing to contribute articles to SciTech† and 29% indicated that they would be willing to contribute book reviews. 26% indicated that they were not interested in participating in any of these ways.
With regard to those willing to evaluate Church educational materials respondents were clearly more willing to evaluate adult (92%) and high school (65%) materials. Only 38% were willing to evaluate adult devotional materials or only 37% junior high or middle school materials. Still fewer 25% were willing to evaluate confirmation materials, 22% elementary school materials, 18% camp materials, 13% vacation Bible school materials, and 10% children’s devotional materials.
PASTCF Blog:
Only 7% of the responding members were willing to take responsibility for a weekly PASTCF blog.
In addition to these statistical responses, members had the opportunity to make comments on the preceding topics and were also asked to provide more narrative responses on how PASTCF has been personally helpful or valuable, how it could be made more helpful or valuable, and what opportunities might be available to make PASTCF more effective. These responses will be covered in the second article in this series that will appear in the February 2012 issue of SciTech†.
The survey data were summarized by Jim Miller, PASTCF General Missioner.
Click HERE to download a .PDF version of the 2011 Membership Survey data.