With funding from the Lilly Endowment, Inc., the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) recently began a systematic study of racial-ethnic members. This study provides, for the first time, information about how these subgroups are similar to and different from the majority of members (93%) who are white. Mail surveys were sent to random samples of African-American, Hispanic, and Korean members--the three largest minority groups in the denomination. After several reminders the response rates were: African Americans, 57% (n=1,084); Hispanics, 47% (n=501); and Koreans, 50% (n=674).

Religious Background

• About one-third of African-American members (38%), but half of Hispanic members (54%) and two- thirds of Korean members (62%), have never been affiliated with a religious group other than Presbyterian. Of those with other religious backgrounds, most African-Americans Presbyterians had once been Baptists (61%); most Hispanic members had been Roman Catholic (61%); and many Korean members had once been either Methodist (42%) or Baptist (24%). Figure 1 shows the percentage in each group who were raised in the Presbyterian Church.

• African-American and Hispanic members are more likely than Korean members to be long-term members of their congregations--69% of African Americans and 58% of Hispanics, but only 33% of Koreans, have belonged to their current congregations for more than 10 years.

Participation in Church Activities

• Three-quarters of African-American members (76%), 83% of Hispanic members, and 95% of Korean members attend worship services every week or nearly every week. Among members in all three racial-ethnic groups, the reason cited most often for missing worship is being away on vacation. Korean members are half as likely as African American or Hispanic members to miss church due to illness or other responsibilities.
• Compared to other racial-ethnic members, Korean members are slightly more likely to attend church programs or events other than worship, while African-American members are more likely to give volunteer time to their communities (to organizations or programs not related to the church).
• Almost a third of African-American members (28%) contributed between $1,000 and $1,999 to their congregations in the previous year, while a slightly larger percentage of Hispanic members gave less than $500 (36%). Korean members had higher average giving over all 27% contributed $5,000 or more during the past year.

Future Involvement in the Congregation

• African-American members and Hispanic members are more likely to anticipate being a part of their current congregations in five years than are Korean members. More than two-thirds of African- American members (77%) and 81% of Hispanic members, but only 62% of Korean members, are very likely or likely to remain in their current congregation.
• Of those who believe they might leave, the reasons cited most often as very important or important reasons for leaving are "moving away from this area/community," "too much conflict in the congregation," and "the worship services often do not satisfy spiritual needs." Few members who expect to leave reported that it would be due to lack of appreciation for their pastor, feeling like they don't fit in, or dislike for programs offered at the church.

Personal Beliefs

• Of five descriptions of the Bible, the largest percentages of members in each racial-ethnic group (44% of African Americans, 38% of Hispanics, and 41% or Korean) believe that the Bible is the word of God, and its stories and teaching provide a powerful motivation as we work toward God's reign in the world. Hispanic and Korean members, however, are about twice as likely (24% and 26%, respectively) as African-American members (13%) to believe that it is the inspired Word of God, without error not only in matters of faith, but also in historical, scientific, geographic and other secular matters.
• Fully 83% of African-American members, 85% of Hispanic members, and 75% of Korean members believe there is "a heaven, where good people who have led good lives are eternally rewarded." Compared to Korean members, African-American and Hispanic members are less likely to believe in a hell, "to which people who have led bad lives and die without being sorry are eternally damned"--65% and 72% of African Americans and Hispanics, respectively, and 82% of Koreans believe in a hell.
• Over 80% of racial-ethnic members agree that "the only absolute Truth for humankind is in Jesus Christ." Three-quarters of Hispanic and Korean members (74% and 73%, respectively) agree that "only followers of Jesus Christ can be saved," compared with half of African-American members (56%; see Figure 2). Likewise, African-American members are more likely to agree with the statement "all the great religions of the world are equally true and good" (24%) than are Hispanic members (16% agree) and Korean members (20% agree).
• Most racial-ethnic members (82% to 89%) believe in the existence of the Devil (Satan) and 85% or more in each racial-ethnic group believe that Jesus "was born of a virgin" and "will return to earth someday."

Living One's Faith

• The vast majority of people in all three racial-ethnic groups (80% or more) have "tried to encourage someone to believe in Jesus Christ or to accept Him as a personal savior."
• Three-quarters of Korean members and 65% of Hispanic members consider themselves to be "born-again" Christians, while less than half of African-American members do (47%).
• Among all three groups, more members believe that "reading and studying the Bible regularly"; "spending time in prayer and meditation"; and "practicing Christian values in work, home and school" are essential qualities of a good Christian life than believe that "actively seeking social and economic justice" or "taking care of those who are sick or needy" are essential qualities. Nonetheless, most racial-ethnic members believe that it is essential that congregations provide "aid and services to people in need" and "an active evangelism program, inviting the unchurched to attend."
• Almost half of African-American members would admire someone who is "very ambitious," while only a tenth of Hispanic and Koreans members would. While a quarter of Korean members would admire or think is all right a person who "thinks s/he is better than others," only 2% of African-American members and 1% of Hispanic members would do so. Almost twice as many Korean members (50%) as African-American (27%) and Hispanic members (28%) would admire "someone who is satisfied with his/her lot in life."
• The vast majority (more than 80%) of members in each racial-ethnic group disapprove of unmarried heterosexual couples living together, but African American members are slightly more tolerant of this than Hispanic members, who are slightly more accepting than Korean members. Most racial-ethnic members disapprove of openly, active gay or lesbian couples, even if they are part of a committed couple. Korean members are most disapproving (95%), followed by Hispanic members (90%) and then African-American members (79%).

Marriage and Childbearing

• Most racial-ethnic members are married (89% of Koreans, 72% of Hispanics, and 60% of African Americans). Majorities of African-American and Hispanic members who have ever been married, but only 26% of ever-married Korean members, were first married before the age of 25 (see Figure 3). Most are still married to their first spouse. Divorce is least common among Korean members (17% of currently unmarried Koreans have been divorced) and more common among Hispanic members (30%) and African-American members (40%).
• A majority of married racial-ethnic members report that their spouse attends church nearly every week or every week (58% of married African Americans, 67% of Hispanics, and 83% of Koreans).
• Most racial-ethnic members have children (African American, 79%, Hispanic, 85%, Korean, 94%). On average, Korean members were older than African-American and Hispanic members when their first child was born: 80% of Korean Presbyterians were age 25 to 34, while 55% of African American and Hispanic members were under the age of 25, at the time their first child was born.

Age and Gender

• African-American respondents are the oldest group, with 46% of them 60 years of age or older. Hispanic and Korean respondents are both younger--30% of Hispanic members and 18% of Korean members are 60 years of age or older. While 70% of African-American members are female, the percentage is lower among Hispanic members (62%). Among Korean respondents, almost half are male (49%).

Birth Place/Self-Identity/Languages

• While nearly all Korean members (98%) were born in Korea, most foreign-born Korean members (77%) have lived in the United States for more than ten years. Almost all African-American members (95%) were born in the United States.
• Almost half of Hispanic members (42%) were born in Puerto Rico, 8% were born in Mexico, 4% in Latin America or the Caribbean, and 3% in South America. Eight in ten Hispanic immigrants have lived in the United Stated ten years or longer.
• Hispanic members have definite preferences in regards to their self-identity--43% describe themselves as Puerto Rican, 22% as Hispanic, 13% as Mexican-American, 6% as Mexican, and 5% as Latino/a. Only 1% of Hispanic members prefer Chicano/a or Cuban-American, 2% describe themselves as Cuban, and 6% prefer some other term not included on this list.
• Almost half of both Korean and Hispanic members (43% and 45%, respectively) speak their native language at home. In other cases, adults speak their native language while English is spoken by children (37% and 16%, respectively). A little more than half of Korean and Hispanic members' congregations have services in their native tongues (in Korean, 57%; in Spanish, 56%), but another quarter of Korean members (27%) attend congregations that have one service in Korean and another in English. About a quarter of Hispanic members (23%) attend congregations where English is the only language used in worship.

Education, Employment, and Income

• Hispanic members have somewhat less schooling--18% of Hispanics are without a high school diploma (compared with 7% of African-American and 8% of Korean members). Korean members are most likely to have graduated from college (37%) compared with 19% of Hispanic and 15% of African- American members. Almost a third of African-American members (29%), almost a quarter of Korean members (24%), and nearly a fifth (19%) of Hispanic members have completed a graduate degree.
• About three-quarters of the respondents in each group who are employed work at least 40 hours a week, and slightly more of their spouses who are employed also work full-time.
• In general, household income is the lowest among Hispanic members, but this varied widely across the three groups.

Political Affiliation

• Most African-American members are Democrats (86%), while one-half of Hispanic members are Democrats (56%) and 25% are Republicans. Korean members are nearly evenly split among Democrats (32%), Independents (36%) and Republicans (27%).