Nearly 100 million Americans report going to church each week, and many say they are there primarily to hear the sermon. To put that into context, only 67 million Americans tuned in to watch the 2024 presidential debate. This makes religious sermons one of the most prolific forms of mass communication in the country. Yet, we know little about the contents of these sermons or the factors that shape sermon content.
Using modern natural language processing methods, I analyze over 20,000 live sermon transcripts from across the United States. These tools let us describe at a high level what exactly is said in American churches, and also provides insights into how sermons differ across churches, denominations, and regions of the United States.
Sermons can provide a window into the diversity and evolution of religion in America.
Billet, M.I., Götz, F.M., Gvirtz, A., & Norenzayan, A. (Under Review). The Many Faces of the Church: A Portrait of American Christianity in 20,624 Sermons.
If you thought the world would end in your lifetime, how would your life be different?
Polls show that 30% of Americans literally believe the world will end in their lifetime. International polling suggests this isn't a unique phenomenon. In fact, this belief appears throughout history and is said to have motivated an incredibly diverse set of phenomena, from quiet passivity to violent rebellion.
Scholars have noted that the "apocalypse" has taken on a different character in the modern era. Nuclear armageddon, the climate apocalypse, and global pandemics seem distinct from ideas about the Kingdom of God or the end of a cosmic cycle. I believe the stories we tell about existential threats will shape the ways we respond to those threats, for better or worse.
This research program addresses basic psychological questions pertaining to people's beliefs about existential threats. How do perceptions of threats become apocalyptic narratives? What are the psychological similarities and differences between traditional religious narratives and modern secular narratives about existential threats? And what role do these narratives play in a society's ability to address or adapt to threats?
Manuscripts are in prep! Ask me about it!