The results of this study will help identify which groups have flourished and which have struggled over the last 18 months.
This new survey is seeking to understand how clergy and churchgoers in the United States have coped with the COVID-19 pandemic and their opinions about how this may affect the Church. It is hoped that the information will help to identify which groups have flourished and which have struggled over the last 18 months. It is being organized by Virginia Theological Seminary in partnership with York St John University in England, who have run a similar and successful survey in the UK over the last few months.
“There is no doubt that we have all been affected by COVID-19 and this includes the church,” said the Rev. Lorenzo Lebrija, director of the TryTank, a joint venture between Virginia Theological Seminary and the General Theological Seminary. “The question then becomes: how deep and where is the impact most felt. And are there opportunities there as well?”
York St. John University already carried out a similar survey in the midst of the pandemic in England and is now gathering and analyzing to measure the lasting impact there. The U.S. results will also allow for a comparison of the two sides of the Atlantic.
The survey asks about how you have experienced the virus, how the lockdown has affected you, and your opinions looking ahead. You will receive questions in blocks that reflect your role in the church and what you have done church-wise during the lockdown. The answers you give are anonymous and will be treated confidentially, so you can feel free to express your opinions.
The survey launched today and will continue until the fall. The results are expected to be released later in the year.