African American religious participation: A multi-sample comparison

Sociodemographic correlates of religious participation among African Americans are examined using data from seven national probability surveys. Dependent variables included indicators of organizational (i.e., religious service attendance), nonorganizational (e.g., frequency of prayer, frequency of reading religious materials, watching/listening to religious programming), and subjective (e.g., spiritual comfort and support, importance of religious or spiritual beliefs, importance of religion) religious participation. Regression analyses indicate that religious participation varies systematically by gender, age, region, marital status, and denominational affiliation. The findings are discussed in relation to research on religious participation among African Americans.