The Rev. Miniard Culpepper, pastor of Pleasant Hill Missionary Baptist Church, preaches adjacent to an image of George Floyd in June 2020 in Boston. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

This analysis is based on the texts of 12,832 sermons shared online by 2,143 U.Southward. religious congregations (nearly all of them Christian churches) delivered between Aug. 31 and Nov. 8, 2020 – a period that included the 2020 U.S. presidential election on Nov. 3 and the Sun following Election Day. The dataset includes sermons from 438 evangelical Protestant congregations, 388 mainline Protestant congregations, 235 Catholic parishes and 205 historically Black Protestant congregations. The remaining congregations could not be reliably classified, belong to other Christian traditions (such every bit Orthodox Christian denominations) or belong to other faiths. While we collected sermons from a sample of congregations in our database, all sermons found on those websites were included in the analysis.

Later identifying a comprehensive list of websites of U.S. churches using the Google Places API, we deployed a custom-built web scraper to navigate through each church's website, find any pages with sermons (in audio, video or text class), download each sermon along with the date on which it was delivered, and transcribe it from audio to text, if necessary. We then developed a machine learning classifier to identify sermons that discussed sure fundamental topics – including the ballot, the COVID-nineteen pandemic and racism in America.

For technical and legal reasons, the Center was largely unable to collect sermons that were not posted or embedded directly on a church building website. In particular, sermons shared or streamed solely on church Facebook accounts could not exist included in this enquiry. Sermons shared on YouTube accounts also were not included, unless they were embedded directly on the church'south own website.

See Appendix A for more details on how the congregations included in this study differ from congregations nationwide. Run into the Methodology for additional technical data on how this study was conducted.

Religious belief is key to many Americans' political identities, simply the public is divided on whether clergy should preach virtually politics from the pulpit. So, when pastors across the country addressed their flocks terminal fall, how did they talk over an election that many Americans viewed equally historically of import?

Two-thirds of congregations heard at least one sermon mentioning the election during fall of 2020

A new Pew Inquiry Eye analysis finds that amidst churches that posted their sermons, homilies or worship services online betwixt Aug. 31 and Nov. 8, 2020, two-thirds posted at least one bulletin from the pulpit mentioning the election. But these rates varied considerably among the four major Christian groups included in the analysis: 41% of Cosmic congregations in the database heard at least 1 sermon mentioning the ballot, compared with 63% of both mainline Protestant and historically Black Protestant congregations and 71% of evangelical Protestant congregations.

Definitions and analytic frames used in this report

U.Southward. churches vary widely in the structure of their services and how much of those services they post online. Some mail service just the sermon. Others post the sermon and role of the service. Still others post the entire service. In many cases, the get-go and end of a sermon are not conspicuously labeled in the text, audio or video files on a church's website. As a result, the automated tools used for this analysis cannot isolate sermons from other elements of religious services with precision.

In this written report, an "online sermon" refers to a portion of a religious service posted on a church building website that contains a commentary from the pulpit but sometimes may include other parts of the service every bit well.

This written report also uses ii dissimilar frames for comparing, depending on the focus of the analysis. Some findings are based on the share of all sermons that have sure characteristics (east.grand., "28% of sermons delivered during the study menstruation referenced the election"). Other findings are based on the share of all congregations that heard discussion of a topic in any of their sermons (due east.yard., "67% of all congregations heard at least i sermon mentioning the ballot during the report period").

Moreover, the content of the messages tended to differ. Roughly one-half of all evangelical Protestant sermons mentioning the ballot discussed specific bug, parties or candidates (48%), the highest share among the four major Christian groups. And, in discussing the ballot, evangelical pastors tended to employ linguistic communication related to evil and punishment at a greater rate, using words and phrases such as "Satan" or "hell" at least twice as often equally other clergy did. Evangelical pastors too were more likely to use the phrase "pray [for our] president" when discussing the election.

By contrast, historically Black Protestant pastors were past far the most likely to encourage voting and voter turnout: 43% of historically Black Protestant sermons mentioning the election either explicitly encouraged voting or discussed the election in a manner that assumed listeners would vote, roughly double the share of any other grouping. And when historically Black Protestant pastors discussed the election, they tended to use words or phrases related to voting or voter rights – such every bit "suppress[ion]," "early voting" and "register [to] vote" – more than often than pastors from other groups.

Although about congregations posted at least one sermon mentioning the election at some betoken during the study period, relatively few pastors openly stumped for particular candidates or parties. Indeed, explicit endorsements from the pulpit were rare enough that researchers could not develop a auto learning model that would reliably place such language beyond all sermons in the database. Even so, in a sample of 535 sermons mentioning the election that researchers examined while attempting to railroad train such a model, 61 seemed conspicuously to favor either Republicans or Democrats, even if they did non mention parties or candidates by name.

Pastors likewise discussed other prominent issues during the period. About eight-in-ten congregations in the database (83%) heard at least 1 sermon touching on the COVID-19 pandemic, while 44% heard at to the lowest degree one reference to racism in America. Catholic congregations stood out as the to the lowest degree likely to mention any of the topics analyzed in this written report during the services or homilies they shared online.

In discussing racism in America, evangelical pastors disproportionately used oblique phrases such every bit "racial tension." Meanwhile, clergy in mainline Protestant and historically Black Protestant congregations tended to discuss this event using more than direct terms like "anti-racism" and "White supremacist."

These are among the main findings of an analysis of 12,832 sermons, homilies or full services delivered to 2,143 American congregations between Aug. thirty and November. 8, 2020 – a period when many congregations were streaming their services online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study builds on an earlier Centre report, which examined sermons shared online in mid-2019.

It is important to note that the sermons included in this dataset are not necessarily representative of the messages delivered in all U.S. religious congregations, for a variety of reasons. Kickoff, this analysis focuses on Christian churches and does not include other religious traditions. Moreover, not all Christian churches make their sermons publicly available online – and those that do place their sermons online may choose selectively, posting some but not others. Nonetheless, the sermons database provides a window into what churchgoing Americans heard in the pews – physical or virtual – during a celebrated moment in American civic life.

A majority of churches shared or livestreamed sermons discussing the election and COVID-nineteen pandemic during the autumn of 2020

The 2020 ballot, the COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide protests over systemic racism and police violence against Black Americans dominated news cycles in the latter half of 2020. This analysis finds that they featured prominently in U.S. sermons every bit well. (See the Centre'due south topic pages for more on the 2020 election and the COVID-nineteen pandemic.)

During the fall of 2020, most congregations heard sermons mentioning the election and COVID-19 pandemic

A majority of congregations included in this study heard at least one sermon mentioning the COVID-19 pandemic (83%) or the 2020 election (67%). And a substantial minority of congregations (44%) heard at least some give-and-take of racism in America. Still, pastors of different religious traditions discussed each topic at unlike rates.

For instance, mainline Protestant and historically Black Protestant congregations were more than probable than evangelical Protestant or Cosmic congregations to hear discussion of racism from the pulpit during this fourth dimension catamenia. Conversely, evangelical churchgoers were the nearly likely to hear word of the ballot.

Catholic priests were consistently the least likely to mention any of these 3 issues in their sermons, homilies or services shared online. Fewer than half of Catholic congregations in the database heard a single mention of the election (41%) or racism (32%) during the 10-week written report period. And although 69% of Catholic congregations heard at to the lowest degree one mention of the pandemic, congregations belonging to the other three major Christian traditions were at least 10 percentage points more probable to hear messages from the pulpit most the coronavirus.

Pastors often mentioned these topics multiple times in the same sermon

To ameliorate empathize how heavily pastors focused on each topic, researchers bankrupt each sermon downwardly into smaller segments of 250 words each (the median sermon in this collection had 26 such segments, and a segment of that length ofttimes occupied one to two minutes of speaking time). The research team then used a combination of labeling past human coders and statistical modeling to determine how many of these individual segments mentioned the iii major topics examined in this study.

Sermons mentioning the pandemic often did so multiple times

Using a similar technique on a set of sermons delivered in the spring of 2019, the Center constitute that when pastors discussed abortion, they tended to practise so only glancingly. Just one-quarter of all sermons that mentioned abortion did so in more than than one 250-word segment.

In dissimilarity, pastors tended to mention the topics examined in this study with greater regularity. Some 35% of sermons where the pastor discussed racism – and 46% of those that mentioned the election – did so in at to the lowest degree two split 250-discussion segments.

Pastors were particularly likely to hash out the COVID-19 pandemic at some length: 51% of sermons mentioning this topic included references to the pandemic in two or more than 250-discussion segments. And certain groups were particularly likely to make the pandemic a recurring theme in their services. Some 56% of sermons by pastors in mainline Protestant churches that mentioned the pandemic (and 63% of those past pastors in historically Black Protestant churches) did so at least twice.

Well-nigh one-half of election-related sermons discussed specific problems, candidates or parties; ane-in-five encouraged voting

Researchers as well assessed what share of sermons discussing the election encouraged listeners to vote, besides as what share discussed specific issues, candidates or political parties. (The Supreme Court, ballgame or taxes would all be examples of an result). Among the 28% of sermons that discussed the election, roughly half (46%) discussed specific issues, parties or political candidates while 20% encouraged listeners to vote. (For more than on how nosotros identified these topics, see the Methodology.) Translated to the congregational level, this means that 23% of all congregations in the database heard at to the lowest degree one sermon during the fall of 2020 encouraging them to vote, while 43% heard at least one discussing parties, bug or candidates.

Researchers also attempted to identify instances in which pastors openly encouraged their congregants to vote for a specific political party or candidate. However, such explicit admonitions were rare and, as a issue, the Heart was unable to systematically place them beyond the database. But among a sample of 535 segments of sermons that discussed the election, researchers labeled 35 equally advocating for Republicans and 26 equally advocating for Democrats. This included some cases in which pastors named a candidate or party also as cases in which they advocated a conspicuously partisan array of policy positions.

Predictably, political discussions reached a crescendo during the calendar week of the election. Although 28% of all sermons delivered over the entirety of the study period mentioned the election in some way, that share rose to 49% of all sermons delivered in the first calendar week of November – including 61% of sermons given that week in historically Blackness Protestant congregations. Also, it appears that sermons mentioning the ballot were, on the whole, as likely as other sermons to have some scriptural framing. Fully 96% of all sermons that touched on the election mentioned at least one volume of the Bible past name, compared with 95% of sermons that did non mention the ballot.

Dissimilar Christian groups used distinctive terminology when discussing the election

To better understand the tenor of what congregants heard in sermons during the autumn of 2020, researchers analyzed the words that pastors of each group used most unduly – relative to other Christian groups – when discussing topics such as the election. In discussing the ballot, evangelical pastors were disproportionately probable to use the words "Satan" and "hell," while historically Black Protestant pastors focused heavily on voter turnout and registration.

To conduct this assay, the research team offset identified all the 250-word segments from a given Christian group that discussed a topic – for example, all segments of evangelical Protestant sermons that mentioned the election.

Next, we calculated the share of those segments that used a sure word or phrase. Finally, nosotros calculated that aforementioned value for all the sermon segments of other groups that discussed the same topic, and we divided the former by the latter. This statistic represents how many times more frequently a word or phrase appears when pastors in i Christian tradition discuss a topic relative to when pastors in the other Christian traditions talk over that same topic. Mutual conjunctions, prepositions and articles (such as and, but, of, in, to, from, a, the) were removed for this analysis, and many words were reduced to their roots. For example, the words "ballot" and "elected" would be reduced to "elect-." In performing this analysis, researchers besides removed whatever words or phrases used in fewer than 1% of all segments.

While the preceding section of this report examined the prevalence of broad topics within sermons as a whole, this analysis focuses on the short (250-discussion) segments of sermons that contain pertinent mentions of those topics. This focus is necessary because most Christian services contain core elements – such as traditional prayers, a reading from scripture or the giving of communion – that are far more statistically singled-out from other groups' services than any differences in how they discuss a topic similar politics. Focusing on the short segments that mention the election removed many of these liturgical elements, assuasive other differences to become apparent.

When discussing election, evangelical pastors unduly mentioned 'hell' and 'Satan'; pastors in historically Black churches more likely than others to urge voting

When pastors in evangelical Protestant congregations discussed the election, they unduly used phrases related to prayer and to forces of evil. 6 of the 10 most distinctive terms in their sermons included the word "pray," including variations of the phrase "pray … president" such as "pray for our president" or "pray for the president." Sermons in evangelical congregations also disproportionately used terms such as "Satan" or "hell" when discussing the election.

It is important to annotation that even though these terms were distinctive to evangelical sermons mentioning the election, they were not especially mutual in evangelical sermons. The ten almost distinctive terms in evangelical sermons discussing the ballot were all used in fewer than 5% of segments discussing the election.

Clergy in evangelical and historically Black Protestant churches used different language than other groups when discussing the electionBy contrast, historically Blackness Protestant pastors disproportionately used words related to voter suppression, registration and turnout. The discussion "suppress" (along with common variants such equally "suppressed" or "suppression") was the single most distinctive term used by pastors in historically Black Protestant churches when discussing the election. They as well urged their congregations to vote, using words and phrases similar "early voting," "mail" and "register … vote." Further, some of these phrases were adequately common. For instance, historically Black protestant pastors used the discussion "register" in 10% of segments that mentioned the election.

Catholic and mainline Protestant sermons touching on the election, past comparison, were primarily distinguished by language related to their respective religious practices – for instance, "Mass," "bishop" and the word "Catholic" in Catholic sermons, and "communion" in mainline Protestant sermons. This indicates that although these groups may have used some distinguishing language in discussing the election, that language was less distinctive than the usual hallmarks of a Catholic or mainline Protestant service.

Direct quotes from sermons discussing politics and the 2020 election

"We as well established that anytime we endeavor to rebuild like the Israelites, we volition notice that we will face opposition. For them, opposition came in the grade of a Samaritan named Sanballat and others like Tobiah, who tried to proceed them from rebuilding. For us, opposition comes in the course of voter suppression, voter intimidation, systemic injustice and a president whose tyrannical leadership chips away at our democracy on a daily basis." – Historically Black Protestant sermon

"If all lives matter and private lives matter, then there'due south no such thing as being pro-abortion, no such thing as being pro racism, or ignoring homo trafficking, or discrimination or prejudice. Those are the things that, if all lives thing, should be our priority, right? Therefore, I would encourage everyone: You need to vote biblical morality and values, if all life matters." – Evangelical Protestant sermon

"Perhaps, then, today nosotros need to look beyond the anarchy of Tuesday'due south election and settle instead on the overreaching truth of our lives on Earth. That is what St. Paul told the Thessalonians: 'Thus we shall e'er be with the Lord. Therefore, console one another with these words.' Then dead or live, we are always with the Lord in the Gospel. Today, we are reminded to exist ready for annihilation in life, to be a people prepared non only to bargain with the pandemic and a messed up presidential election, only to remember that we are to follow on the path of those wise virgins. To have not only our own lamps lit, only to have extra oil with us just in case. Like it or not, we need to exist prepared to run across the Lord when he does call united states of america home." – Catholic sermon

"We simplify everything as if all these complex bug could exist boiled downward into a right and a incorrect. It's preposterous. And so we define each other past these absurd categories that we take created, and what happens is, we don't know each other anymore. We're defined by labels instead of seeing each other every bit human beings, and we stop listening. And that, my friends, can get very unsafe equally this election approaches. If we define each other solely by our politics and our slogans and our words, we cease to mind to one another, and we are in danger of becoming merely like the scribes and the elders and the Pharisees. So I ask you: Don't give me any words. I don't want to hear a slogan. But practice tell me this: Do you serve the less fortunate than yous? Exercise you lot take time out of your life to help those in need, to practise something that is solely not for yous, but for someone else?" – Mainline Protestant sermon

Quotations have been lightly edited for readability.

In discussing racism in America, mainline Protestant clergy urged anti-racism, while clergy in historically Black Protestant churches discussed voting and White supremacy

These groups also used distinctive language to hash out racism in America. Pastors in mainline and historically Blackness Protestant congregations tended to address racism and racial justice directly. For instance, the most distinctive terms used by mainline Protestant pastors included "supremacy" and "anti-racism," and the nigh distinctive terms used by Blackness Protestant clergy included phrases similar "White supremacist" and "Blackness community."

Evangelical pastors, by comparing, often used more than oblique language to depict racism. Terms such as "tension" and "racial tension" are among the near distinctive terms in evangelical sermons mentioning racism in America. Evangelicals besides used terms like "constabulary officer," "criminal offence" and "captive" about three times as often as other pastors when discussing racism.

In discussing racism, mainline and historically Black Protestant sermons were more likely to mention anti-racism and White supremacy

Catholic sermons were once again distinguished by words common to Catholic homilies or services such as "[Pope] Francis" or "Bishop." For a full list of each group'southward almost distinctive terms, run across Appendix B.

Straight quotes from sermons discussing racism in America

"I don't know when in the globe Black lives are gonna matter to some White people, and I don't know why they love Blackness culture merely can't stand some of the Black people. I don't know why Blackness women who have literally given everything to this world yet can't discover a prophylactic space for them to grow, nourish and flourish, or even live. And since I know I already jumped out there, can I only tell yous how I'm really feeling? I don't know how it'south possible for there to accept been a $12 1000000 wrongful death lawsuit that was settled, but take nobody responsible for the decease. I don't know how sheetrock could get more justice than one of our beautiful Blackness sisters. And I don't know how many more miscarriages of justice we will have to endure earlier Black people give birth to a response that might plow this land upside down." – Historically Black Protestant sermon

"Our original sin, and so, according to critical race theory, is whiteness. … Salvation from that autumn begins when the oppressors get woke – you heard that term, 'woke' recently? This is what's going on in the NFL, and that's why I won't exist watching it. When they see and repent from their own sins as oppressors and brainstorm to dismantle the inherently oppressive structures of their civilization, they're woke. In other words, you destroy your state's history, you tear down all the the statues of White people. And since Whites tin't encounter their own racism, according to the CRT [critical race theory], they demand to larn to run across the earth through the CRT lens. Simply and then will racial equality be possible. For CRT, then, conservancy comes through law, not grace. Forgiveness only comes afterwards consummate and ongoing capitulation. Ultimately, CRT is rooted in a alloy of two worldviews: Marxism – the oppressed and the oppressor – and secular humanism – the conventionalities that humanity is capable of self-fulfillment and rescue by self-effort autonomously from God. However, once God is removed, and so is any objective standard defining what information technology means to alive a fulfilled, moral life." – Evangelical Protestant sermon

"The murder of George Floyd has diddled open up the terrible evil of individual and institutional racism that serves the dominant culture so well. Whether blatant or hiding menacingly under the surface, Roxane Gay wrote that nosotros Blacks live with the knowledge that a hashtag is not a vaccine for White supremacy. Nosotros live with the knowledge that, still, no one is coming to save us. The rest of the earth yearns to get dorsum to normal. For Black people, normal is the very matter from which we yearn to exist free." – Catholic sermon

"But we have to understand that we are called. At that place is piece of work to be washed. We are chosen to begin that healing. We're called to begin that healing. The way that we overcome systemic racism, the way we overcome systemic poverty, nosotros overcome Bible abuse against homosexuals and queer people, the way we overcome transphobia and sexism, the way we overcome people who don't have a living wage considering of the color of their skin or the sex that they were built-in or identify as, the way we overcome all of that – is coming together and healing across this great divide that has been created. And we practice that past meeting prepared for the road ahead." – Mainline Protestant sermon

Quotations have been lightly edited for readability.

Correction (October. 13, 2021): A paragraph near the elevation of this report has been revised to accurately reflect the dates of the data drove period used for this assay. The correct dates for data collection for this study are Aug. 31 – Nov. 8, 2020. This correction does not bear on the accompanying graphic or materially modify the findings or conclusions of the report.