Do Denominations Matter?

Abstract

This study focuses in the significance of denominational differentiation for American religious life. Some scholars have argued that the affiliates of the various Protestant denominations are becoming more and more alike in their socioeconomic and demographic characteristics and in religious behavior and orientations. Hence, they argue, denominational affiliation has little independent impact on either religious or secular behavior. Others have suggested that denominational affiliations continue to be important influences on individual behavior. In this paper we analyze data from a national survey of American Jews wich show that denominational differences are substantial and more influential within this highly educated and acculturated minority than they have commontly been assumed to be. These findings suggest that recent research may have underestimated the potential importance of contemporary denominational differentiation for American religious life.