Growing Suburbs, Relocating Churches: The Suburbanization of Protestant Churches in the Chicago Region, 1925–1990

Abstract

This study examines the locations of Protestant churches in the Chicago region between 1925 and 1990 based on data from the Church Federation of Greater Chicago. The analysis adds two insights to existing explanations of white flight and the corresponding suburbanization of churches: suburbanization patterns were not the same across Protestant groups and churches moving to the suburbs were adding to churches already present in those communities. As the percentage of suburban Protestant churches in the Chicago region started increasing after 1925, the new suburban locations were influenced by settlement patterns in the Chicago region—first along railroad lines and then in between with new sites easier to access by automobile—in addition to racial changes in Chicago neighborhoods and the ethnic composition of denominations. Suggestions for further research include examining the suburbanization of religious groups in more metropolitan regions (particularly beyond the North), comparing the discussions about moving to the suburbs across denominations and congregations, and considering how religious congregations have helped shape suburban communities.

A New Approach to the Spatialization of Religion: Changes in the Spatial Distribution of Religious Institutions in Debrecen (Hungary) between the Second Half of the Nineteenth Century and 2023

“…However, since the mid-twentieth century, as modern urbanisation has progressed and suburbanisation has intensified, particularly in the United States of America, the spatial distribution of religious facilities has also undergone considerable changes. According to Miller's (2017) study in the Chicago area, the number of Protestant churches in the suburbs significantly increased, while it slightly decreased in the city (similar results were found by Hadaway (1982) during his research in Shelby County, Tennessee). The location of the new churches was influenced by the existing network of settlements and the attraction of long-established Protestant communities in certain settlements.…”

Partners, Not Providers: A Collaboration Typology for Congregations and Community

“…Previous researchers suggest that the American Protestant legacy prompted close ties between Protestant congregations and faith-based organizations (Bielefeld & Suhs Cleveland, 2013). Moreover, the Protestant sample is perhaps unsurprising given that this community has been previously described as having large numbers of Protestant congregations (Miller, 2017) and evangelical organizations (Miller, 2013). The participation of evangelical clergy also provides an interesting research context given somewhat conflicting findings about their collaboration.…”

Unsettling “Inner City”: Liberal Protestantism and the Postwar Origins of a Keyword in Urban Studies

“… The clergy and lay leaders who issued such critiques were pushing mainline Protestantism toward the left, although often at the expense of rifts between church leadership and some congregations and lay members resistant to the integrationist impulses of their brand of racial liberalism (Hollinger ). Additionally, it is important to note that serious differences existed between various mainline denominations (Miller ). Nonetheless, due to the interdenominational nature of the city churches under study, such distinctions are beyond the scope of this article. …”