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Congregation and Religion Research Gathering 2026
Wednesday, December 9
 

9:00am EST

What the Numbers Tell Us: Reading the Religious Revival in an Age of Bad Surveys
Wednesday December 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EST
You have probably seen the headlines. Across Canada, the United States, and Europe, there are reports of a religious revival led by young people, and especially by young men returning to Christianity.  What should we make of these stories? This talk works through the best available American evidence. I ask whether the long decline in American religiosity has genuinely stopped, whether it has...
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Speakers
avatar for David Eagle

David Eagle

Associate Professor of Global Health and Sociology, Duke University
I am an Associate Professor of Global Health and Sociology at Duke University, where I also serve as the Research Director for the Clergy Health Collaborative. My research is focused on understanding how North America is changing religiously and the implications of change for religious... Read More →
Wednesday December 9, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EST
  Plenary

10:45am EST

Breakout #1
Wednesday December 9, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EST
Paper presentations
Wednesday December 9, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EST
  Breakout

12:00pm EST

Lunch
Wednesday December 9, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST
Meals: On your own; a list of nearby restaurant recommendations will be provided.
Wednesday December 9, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST
  Lunch

1:30pm EST

Plenary #2
Wednesday December 9, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST

Speakers
avatar for Lori Guenther Reesor

Lori Guenther Reesor

Christian giving specialist
Helping churches talk about money is my superpower. For my doctoral research on Christian giving, I toured church basements in five provinces, listening to testimonies of how people learned to be generous. I also crunch giving numbers at both local and denominational levels. My degrees... Read More →
Wednesday December 9, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST
  Plenary

3:15pm EST

Breakout #2
Wednesday December 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
Paper presentations
Wednesday December 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
  Breakout
 
Thursday, December 10
 

9:00am EST

The Myth of Decline: Rethinking the Story of the Canadian Church
Thursday December 10, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EST
The dominant story of Christianity in Canada is one of decline: fewer people attending, churches closing, denominations shrinking, and religious influence fading. But what if that story is only partly true? Drawing on longitudinal data from Canadian congregations, this talk examines the difference between institutional decline and religious change. It explores church closures, consolidation,...
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Speakers
avatar for Stephen Hewko

Stephen Hewko

Director, Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research, Wycliffe College
With backgrounds in the natural sciences and theology, Steve leads Wycliffe Colleges new Canadian Institute for Empirical Church Research. Steve has a passion for data-informed decision making and a keen interest in discovering some of the deeper contours and dynamics of the Canadian... Read More →
Thursday December 10, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EST
  Plenary

10:45am EST

Breakout #3
Thursday December 10, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EST
Paper presentations
Thursday December 10, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EST
  Breakout

12:00pm EST

Lunch
Thursday December 10, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST
Meals: On your own; a list of nearby restaurant recommendations will be provided.
Thursday December 10, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST
  Lunch

1:30pm EST

The Stories Congregations Tell: Flourishing in the Face of Transition and Change
Thursday December 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST
Congregations are story-telling communities. The stories they tell, which link a community's past, present, and future, can play an important role in whether a congregation flourishes or not. This session builds on a collaborative book project – The Stories Congregations Tell – centered on detailed case study research led out of the Flourishing Congregations Institute, housed at Ambrose...
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Speakers
avatar for Joel Thiessen

Joel Thiessen

Professor of Sociology, Director of the Flourishing Congregations Institute, Social Sciences Department Chair, Ambrose University
I am a sociologist of religion who specializes in religion in Canada, religious nones, congregations, millennials, and more recently, death and dying. I have (co)authored 6 books and over 20 articles, plus delivered over 135 invited public lectures with scholars, church, and denominational... Read More →
Thursday December 10, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST
  Plenary

3:15pm EST

Breakout #4
Thursday December 10, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
Paper presentations
Thursday December 10, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
  Breakout
 
Friday, December 11
 

9:00am EST

Plenary #5
Friday December 11, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EST

Speakers
avatar for Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme

Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme

Associate Professor, University of Waterloo
Friday December 11, 2026 9:00am - 10:30am EST
  Plenary

10:45am EST

Breakout #5
Friday December 11, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EST
Paper presentations
Friday December 11, 2026 10:45am - 12:00pm EST
  Breakout

12:00pm EST

Lunch
Friday December 11, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST
Meals: On your own; a list of nearby restaurant recommendations will be provided.
Friday December 11, 2026 12:00pm - 1:30pm EST
  Lunch

1:30pm EST

Plenary #6
Friday December 11, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST

Speakers
avatar for Kraig Beyerlein

Kraig Beyerlein

University of Notre Dame, Associate Professor; Director, Center for the Study of Religion and Society

Friday December 11, 2026 1:30pm - 3:00pm EST
  Plenary

3:15pm EST

Breakout #6
Friday December 11, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
Paper presentations
Friday December 11, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm EST
  Breakout

3:15pm EST

Who volunteers? Initial findings from the Regional Engagement Atlas of Churches
Friday December 11, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm EST
One year since the official launch of the Regional Engagement Atlas of Churches (REACH) project, we now begin to analyze the data and present our initial findings. This talk explores the question of "who volunteers?" — investigating the demographic and socioeconomic data of Canadian church volunteers, as well as volunteers who reach out to their communities beyond their local congregation. It...
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Speakers
avatar for Joycelin Van Caulart

Joycelin Van Caulart

Geospatial Research Analyst, PhD Student, Wycliffe College, University of Toronto
Joycelin is a PhD student at the University of Toronto's Department for the Study of Religion. She also works part-time for the CIECR as a Geospatial Research Analyst.
Friday December 11, 2026 3:15pm - 4:45pm EST
  Breakout
 
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