Dr. David Beckworth, a former college classmate of mine who is now an assistant professor of economics at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas, wrote a paper entitled “Praying for a Recession: The Business Cycle and Protestant Religiosity in the United States.” His research suggests that during economic recessions, evangelical churches grow at an accelerated rate, while mainline Protestant churches continue their long-term decline, albeit at a slower rate.
The paper was featured in a recent NY Times article. Yesterday he was interviewed on CNN’s morning program to discuss his findings. Video:
Congratulations to Dr. Beckworth for his timely research.