Fewer Americans tithing, research group says

National Catholic Reporter, June 6, 2003

The number of Americans who give a full tenth of their income to the church "dropped by 62 percent in the past year, from 8 percent in 2001 to just 3 percent of adults during 2002," the Barna Research Group said. Of Catholic respondents, none reported giving 10 percent of last year's income to his or her church.

Barna, a Ventura, Calif., firm that specializes in religious research, said among born-again adults, 14 percent reported tithing in 2001, but only 6 percent said they did so in 2002. Among evangelicals, nearly 9 percent of those surveyed reported tithing.

Charles Zech, a Villanova University economics professor and expert in Catholic giving issues, said, "It doesn't surprise me that few or not Catholics tithe, because that's not what they've been taught as tithing. A lot of pastors preach a percent of income and call it tithing. They don't say, 'Give us 10 percent.'"

Zech said his first reaction to the Barna findings "is to attribute it to the economy." George Barna, founder and head of the research group, cited the soft economy as one of the most likely factors behind a drop in tithing. He also said the Catholic clergy scandals "reduced some people's confidence in church leaders and, consequently, reduced their giving as well."