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How long is the sermon? Study ranks Christian churches
Source: Associated Press
How long is the sermon? Study ranks Christian churches
By DAVID CRARY
December 16, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) — How long should a sermon be?
The major branches of Christianity in the U.S. have sharply different traditions, with sermons at historically black Protestant churches lasting — on average - nearly four times as long as Roman Catholic sermons.
That’s among the findings of an analysis by the Pew Research Center — billed as the first of its kind — of 49,719 sermons delivered in April and May that were shared online by 6,431 churches. Pew described its research as “the most exhaustive attempt to date to catalogue and analyze American religious sermons.”
According to Pew, the median length of the sermons was 37 minutes. Catholic sermons were the shortest, at a median of just 14 minutes, compared with 25 minutes for sermons in mainline Protestant congregations and 39 minutes in evangelical Protestant congregations. Historically black Protestant churches had by far the longest sermons, at a median of 54 minutes.
Pew said sermons at the black churches lasted longer than mainline Protestant sermons even though, on average, they had roughly the same number of words. A possible explanation, Pew said, is that the preachers at black churches allow more time during their sermons for musical interludes, responses from worshippers in the pews and dramatic pauses in their oratory.
-snip-
By DAVID CRARY
December 16, 2019
NEW YORK (AP) — How long should a sermon be?
The major branches of Christianity in the U.S. have sharply different traditions, with sermons at historically black Protestant churches lasting — on average - nearly four times as long as Roman Catholic sermons.
That’s among the findings of an analysis by the Pew Research Center — billed as the first of its kind — of 49,719 sermons delivered in April and May that were shared online by 6,431 churches. Pew described its research as “the most exhaustive attempt to date to catalogue and analyze American religious sermons.”
According to Pew, the median length of the sermons was 37 minutes. Catholic sermons were the shortest, at a median of just 14 minutes, compared with 25 minutes for sermons in mainline Protestant congregations and 39 minutes in evangelical Protestant congregations. Historically black Protestant churches had by far the longest sermons, at a median of 54 minutes.
Pew said sermons at the black churches lasted longer than mainline Protestant sermons even though, on average, they had roughly the same number of words. A possible explanation, Pew said, is that the preachers at black churches allow more time during their sermons for musical interludes, responses from worshippers in the pews and dramatic pauses in their oratory.
-snip-
Read more: https://apnews.com/d5c3a0bd7726f18d5cff44efa1bd4cfd
8 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Oh, if only church services lasted 15 minutes, my younger self would have been grateful. And I wouldn't have minded some black music either.
The Catholic Church services were the most boring part of my day back in the 60's. The sermon was the least of it. The preparation of the sacrament was like a cooking show done in Latin. The rest of the time was spent saying prayers.
The sermon was actually a relief. You could just sit back and let the priest bloviate. They woke you back up by sticking the collection basket in your face.
