Bradley Wright's Web Log: Statistics and the validity of Christianity. Interesting musings by sociologist Bradley Wright. (Although, as a big sociology fan, I realize interesting musings and sociologist is somewhat redundant. 🙂 )
How much, if at all, can statistics tell us about the validity of Christianity? I have some ideas, but I would be interested in hearing your thoughts.
My own answer to this depends on what is meant by the question.
Christianity rests on a set of philosophical beliefs such as God sending his only Son into the world to give us eternal life. If, then, the question above refers to testing if these beliefs are “true,” then the answer would “no”–statistics can not test the central tenets of our faith; in fact, I can’t even think of how one would begin to do so? Maybe in our prayers ask God to fill out Likert scales?
If instead the question above refers to evaluating the behaviors and characteristics of the Church and its members, then the answer would be mostly yes because much of what we would expect from the church can be translated into empirical propositions. This is the logic of Ron Sider’s book, The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience,” and while in previous posts I suggest that he got his numbers wrong, I do not quibble with the use of numbers to evaluate the Church. In fact, I applaud it (just want it done correctly). …
As I keep telling my theology-oriented friends, "Numbers are our friends!" (I don't think I have made any converts yet.)
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