All Publications

Publications from the National Survey of Religious Leaders range from general overviews to writings about specific topics. They are aimed at academic, clergy, and lay audiences. If copyright restrictions prevent your download of an article for which Mark Chaves is one of the authors, please contact us with your request and we will send a copy to you. Also, if you have used NSRL data to write something, or if you know of something that has been written using NSRL data, please let us know so we can add it to the list of study writings.

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Faith and Fate: Religious Leaders’ Bible, Heaven, Hell Beliefs and End-of-Life Choices

Aglozo, Eric Y. 2024. Death Studies.

An Examination of the Impact of Clergy-Involved Mental Health Activities for Their Congregants on Clergy Life Satisfaction, Happiness, and Perceptions of Having a Life Close to Ideal in the USA

Boateng, Augustine C.O., Joshua Sebu, Katherine Britt, and Hayoung Oh. 2024. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling.

Which Congregational Leaders Also Work as Chaplains?: A National Overview

Cadge, Wendy, Amy Lawton, Anna Holleman, and Joseph Roso. 2024. Review of Religious Research 66(1):81-91.

How the Science–Religion Interface of Christian Religious Leaders Shape Their Perceptions of Depression

Chan, Esther, and Di Di. 2024. Religions 15(11):1398.

Clergy in America

Chaves, Mark, Anna Holleman, and Joseph Roso. 2025. Durham, NC: Duke University, Department of Sociology.

The National Survey of Religious Leaders: Background, Methods, and Lessons Learned in the Research Process

Chaves, Mark, Joseph Roso, and Anna Holleman. 2022. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 61(3-4):737-749.

Prevalence of Obesity in Religious Clergy in the United States: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Eagle, David, Anna Holleman, Bri Barrera Olvera, and Elizabeth Blackwood. 2024. Obesity Reviews e13741.

Mental Health Promotion by Religious Leaders and the Effect on Congregations

Farmer, Ayanna, Cheyenne Ponder, Sahara Trask, and Katherine Wiegand. 2024. Georgia Journal of Science 82(1), Article 128.

LGBTQ Inclusion Among Religious Congregations and Religious Leaders in the United States

Holleman, Anna. 2025. Journal of Homosexuality.

US Religious Leaders’ Views on the Etiology and Treatment of Depression

Holleman, Anna and Mark Chaves. 2023. JAMA Psychiatry 80(3):270-273.

Is There a Crisis in Clergy Health?: Reorienting Research Using a National Sample

Holleman, Anna and David Eagle. 2023. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 62(3):580-604.

Embracing the Unknown: Exploring Interfaith Dialogue and Collaboration

Holleman, Meagan and Anna Holleman. 2023. Friends Journal, October 2023.

Protestant Churches’ Space-Sharing with Immigrant Congregations

Lee, Young-Joo. 2025. Journal of Immigrant & Refugee Studies.

Women In the Pulpit: Characteristics of Protestant Churches Led by a Female Pastor

Lee, Young-Joo. 2024. Nonprofit Management and Leadership.

Science and the Pulpit: Clerical Perspectives on Science and Religion in the United States

Noy, Shiri, and Timothy L. O’Brien. 2024. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Effects of Religious Leaders’ Educational Attainment on Encouragement of Mental Health Services

Ponder, Cheyenne R., Ayanna R. Farmer, Sahara Trask, and Katherine Wiegand. 2024. Georgia Journal of Science 82(1). Article 130.

Clergy Political Actions and Agendas: New Findings from the National Survey of Religious Leaders

Roso, Joseph, Mark Chaves, and Turgut Keskintürk. 2024. Sociological Focus.

Clergy-Lay Political (Mis)Alignment in 2019-20

Roso, Joseph and Mark Chaves. 2023. Politics and Religion 16(3):533-542.

The Demographic Makeup of Congregations and Clergy Mental Health: A Research Note

Schwadel, Philip and Katelynn Shadoan. 2024. Review of Religious Research.

Most Christian American Religious Leaders Silently Believe in Climate Change, and Informing Their Congregation Can Help Open Dialogue

Syropoulos, Stylianos, and Gregg Sparkman. 2025. Proceedings of the National Academy of the Sciences in the United States of America 122 (13) e2419705122.