Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches 2010 - Cokesbury

Current or Recent Research
The Barna Group conducts more than 50 studies each year, covering a broad range of topics. Some
of the recent non-proprietary studies completed are focused on understanding the state of the Church;
the habits of highly
effective churches; worship efficacy; the unchurched; strategies and techniques for developing lay
leaders; understanding effective discipleship processes; pastoral profiles; beliefs, behaviors and core
attitudes of ministry donors; Biblical knowledge, and many others.
Periodicals
The Barna Group offers a free bi-weekly report, The Barna Update, on current information related
to faith matters from its national non-proprietary research. This information is free to those who register
for it at the website (listed above).
Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA)
Georgetown University
Washington, DC 20057
Tel. (202) 687-8080
Fax (202) 687-8083
Email: cara@georgetown.edu
Website: www.georgetown.edu/research/cara/index.html
Executive Director: Mary E. Bendyna, RSM, Ph.D.
Sr. Research Associate: Mary Gautier
CARA-the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate is a not-for-profit research organization
of the Roman Catholic Church. It operates on the premise that not only theological principles
but also findings of the social sciences must be the basis for pastoral care.
CARA’s mission since its founding in 1964 has been “To discover, promote, and apply modern
techniques and scientific informational resources for practical use in a coordinated and effective
approach to the Church’s social and religious mission in the modern world, at home and overseas.”
CARA performs a wide range of research studies and consulting services. Since its roots are
Roman Catholic, many of its studies are done for dioceses, religious orders, parishes, and the United
States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Interdenominational studies are also performed. Publishes
The CARA Report, a research newsletter on Catholic Church related topics, four times a year and
The Catholic Ministry Formation Directory, a guide and statistical compilation of enrollments for
Catholic seminaries, diaconate formation programs, and lay ministry formation programs.
SOURCES
Periodicals
The Catholic Ministry Formation Directory
Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture
Indiana University
Purdue University at Indianapolis
425 University Blvd, Room 341
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5140
Tel. (317)274-8409
Fax (317)278-3354
Email: pgoff@iupui.edu
Website: www.iupui.edu/~raac
Director: Dr. Phillip Goff
Program Coordinator: Rebecca Vasko
The Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture is a research and public outreach
institute devoted to the promotion of the understanding of the relation between religion and other
features of American culture. Research methods are both inter-disciplinary and multi-disciplinary.
Established in 1989, the Center is based in the School of Liberal Arts and Indiana University-
Purdue University at Indianapolis. Center activities include national conferences and symposia,
commissioned books, essays, bibliographies, and research projects, fellowships for younger
scholars, data based communication about developments in the field of American religion, a
newsletter devoted to the promotion of Center activities, and the semi-annual scholarly periodical,
Religion and American Culture, A Journal of Interpretation.
Current or Recent Research
The Center is presently overseeing two intiatives. The “Young Scholars in American Religion
Program” is a multi-year project to assist early-career scholars in developing their teaching skills
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