Chapter 13: Faiths and traditions · Part 4

The traditions at a glance

Each profile below says what the building needs (required, expected, forbidden, discouraged) and what fits best: each item's fit, from −1 to +1, averaged into the building fit (Building your house of worship). Shared furnishings score by the tradition's character (how formal it is, its music, its view of images); a faith's own furnishings (a bimah, a mihrab, a meditation cushion) score +0.5 where the tradition requires or expects them. Then how it governs, how its leaders come, what it owes, and how it leaves. Who decides each kind of project in each tradition is in Projects, approvals and conflict; how clergy come is in Staff and volunteers.

Tradition	Main gathering	Leader	Owes upward
Christianity
Catholic and Orthodox
Catholic Church	Mass, Saturday evening and Sunday; communion weekly	Priest, sent	10% of income
Ukrainian Greek Catholic	Divine Liturgy, in Ukrainian and English; communion weekly	Priest, sent; may be married	8%, and a voluntary collection
Orthodox Church in America	Divine Liturgy and Saturday Vigil; communion weekly	Priest, sent	$90 a member
Greek Orthodox Archdiocese	Orthros and Divine Liturgy, in Greek and English; communion weekly	Priest, assigned by the Metropolitan	12%, the Total Commitment
Coptic Orthodox	Coptic Liturgy, two Sunday liturgies; communion weekly	Priest ordained from the parish, for life	10%
Anglican and Lutheran
The Episcopal Church	Holy Eucharist at 8 and 10; communion weekly	Rector, called by the vestry	12%
Anglican Church in North America	Holy Communion at 10 (and 8); communion weekly	Rector, called by the vestry with the bishop's consent	A tithe to the diocese, voluntary
ELCA	Divine Service; communion weekly	Pastor, called from the synod's list	7%, voluntary
Missouri Synod	Divine Service; communion every other week	Pastor, called on a nomination	6%, voluntary
Reformed and united
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)	Word and Table; communion monthly	Pastor, called from the presbytery's list	Per capita and mission giving, voluntary
Christian Reformed	Reformed worship, morning and evening; communion quarterly	Pastor, called from the classis's list	Classis quota and pension, per member; ministry shares voluntary
Presbyterian Church in America	Reformed worship, morning (and evening); communion monthly	Pastor, called by the members, examined by the presbytery	$25 a member and 3%, all voluntary
United Church of Christ	Word and Table; communion monthly	Pastor, called	2%, voluntary
Methodist and holiness
The United Methodist Church	Preaching service (or contemporary); communion monthly	Pastor, appointed and moved	12%
AME	Black-church worship; communion monthly	Pastor, appointed and moved	8% and $25 a member
Free Methodist	Preaching service; communion monthly	Pastor, appointed	$180 a member
Church of the Nazarene	Preaching service (or contemporary); communion quarterly	Pastor, called by two thirds	15% in four funds
The Salvation Army	Holiness meeting; no communion	Officers, a couple, sent	Offerings go up; a budget comes down
Baptist
Southern Baptist	Preaching service; communion quarterly	Pastor, called	4.67%, voluntary
American Baptist	Preaching service; communion monthly	Pastor, called	4%, voluntary
National Baptist	Black-church worship; communion monthly	Pastor, called	$1,200 a year, voluntary
Pentecostal
Assemblies of God	Praise and worship; communion monthly	Pastor, called by two thirds	3%, voluntary; the pastor's dues
Church of God (Cleveland)	Praise and worship; communion quarterly	Pastor, appointed	14% of tithes; the pastor's tithe
Church of God in Christ	Black-church worship; communion monthly	Pastor, appointed for life	Reports of $4,200 a year
Pentecostal Holiness	Praise and worship; communion quarterly	Pastor, nominated and ratified	10% of tithes; the pastor's tithe
United Pentecostal	Praise and worship, morning and evening; communion twice a year	Pastor, called, for life	A voluntary goal; the pastor's dues
Anabaptist, Moravian, and Friends
Mennonite Church USA	Preaching service; communion quarterly	Pastor, called	4%, voluntary
Church of the Brethren	Preaching service; communion twice a year, at the love feast	Pastor, called	4%, voluntary
Moravian Church	Moravian liturgy; communion seven times a year	Pastor, called by the province	8%
Friends (FGC)	Meeting for worship, in silence; no communion	None: a clerk	$60 a member, voluntary
Friends United Meeting	Pastoral meeting for worship; no communion	Pastor, who doesn't govern	8%
Restorationist
Churches of Christ	Lord's Day assembly, a cappella; communion weekly	Elders and a minister	Nothing
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ	Worship around the Lord's table; communion weekly	Minister, called by the elders	Nothing
Independent churches and networks
Nondenominational (pattern)	Praise and worship, two services; communion monthly	Lead pastor, called by the elders	Nothing
Calvary Chapel	Worship and teaching, Sunday and Wednesday; communion monthly	Senior pastor, called by the board	Nothing
Acts 29	Preaching service; communion weekly	Lead pastor and elders, called by the elders and members	2%; 8% to planting, voluntary
Charismatic
Vineyard USA	Praise and worship, then ministry time; communion monthly	Lead pastor, called by the church board	3%
Association of Related Churches	Praise and worship, two services; communion monthly	Lead pastor and spouse, called by the elders	10% while launching, then 2%, voluntary
Latter-day Saints and Community of Christ
Latter-day Saints	Sacrament meeting, then classes: a two-hour block; communion weekly	Lay bishop, called for five years	Offerings go up; a budget comes down
Community of Christ	Worship from the church's Worship Resources; communion monthly	Pastor elected from the priesthood, unpaid	Mission Tithes, voluntary, given by members
Distinct traditions
Seventh-day Adventist	Sabbath School and divine worship, Saturday; communion quarterly	Pastor, appointed	15% tithe
Jehovah's Witnesses	Weekend and midweek meetings; the Memorial once a year	Body of elders, unpaid	25%, voluntary
Christian Science	Lesson-Sermon, and Wednesday testimony; no communion	Two Readers, elected	$1 a member, paid by members
Unitarian Universalist	Chalice service; no communion	Minister, called by 90%	6.75%, voluntary
Judaism
Reform Judaism	Shabbat morning; Friday evening	Rabbi, called by the board	3%, the URJ's dues
Conservative Judaism	Shabbat morning; Kabbalat Shabbat; daily minyanim	Rabbi, called by the board	3%, the USCJ's dues
Modern Orthodox Judaism	Shabbat morning; Kabbalat Shabbat; daily minyanim	Rabbi, called by the board	$1,500 a year to the OU
Reconstructionist Judaism	Shabbat morning; Friday evening	Rabbi, called by the members	1.5%, affiliation dues
Chabad-Lubavitch	Shabbat morning; Kabbalat Shabbat; daily minyanim	Rabbi and his wife, sent for life	Nothing
Islam
Sunni Islamic Center	Jumu'ah; the five daily prayers	Imam, hired by the board	Nothing: no wider body
Community of Imam W. Deen Mohammed	Jumu'ah; Sunday ta'leem; Dhuhr	Imam, elected, unpaid	Nothing: no wider body
Twelver Shia Islamic Center	Thursday night's Du'a Kumayl	Resident scholar, hired by the board	Khums: a tenth, paid by members
Ahmadiyya Muslim Community	Jumu'ah; the five daily prayers	Missionary, appointed	Chanda goes up; a budget comes down
The Nation of Islam	The Sunday Message; study meetings	Student minister, appointed	$120 a member, voluntary, paid by members
Buddhism
Buddhist Churches of America	Sunday Shin service	Minister, assigned by the Bishop	$120 a member
Vietnamese Buddhist temple	Sunday chanting and memorial	Abbot, unpaid, for life	Nothing
Chinese Buddhist temple	Sunday dharma function and lunch	Abbess, appointed by the mother monastery	Nothing (the monastery owns it)
Soka Gakkai International-USA	Sunday gongyo meeting	Lay leaders	Giving goes up; a budget comes down
Soto Zen center	Sunday zazen and talk; daily zazen	Teacher, part-time	Nothing: no wider body
Theravada temple	Sunday observance and dana meal	Abbot, unpaid	Nothing
Tibetan Buddhist dharma center	Sunday practice; monthly pujas	Resident teacher	Nothing
Hinduism
Hindu temple	Darshan every day; the Sunday abhishekam	Head priest, hired by the trustees	Nothing: no wider body
Indo-Caribbean mandir	Sunday service and lunch	Pandit, for life, succeeded by family	Nothing: no wider body
BAPS	Sunday sabha and Mahaprasad; darshan every day	Swami, assigned	Nothing (run from the centre)
International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation	Saturday sabha; five artis a day	Sadhu, assigned by the diocese	Nothing
ISKCON	The Sunday Feast; aratis from 4:30	Temple president, appointed	1% to the regional body
Arya Samaj	Sunday havan and Preeti bhoj	Acharya, hired by the committee	Nothing
Vedanta Society	Sunday lecture; vespers every evening	Swami, sent by Belur Math	Nothing
Chinmaya Mission	Sunday satsang and Bala Vihar	Acharya, posted by the Mission	Nothing
Self-Realization Fellowship	Sunday service; meditations	Minister, a monastic, assigned	Giving goes up; a budget comes down
Sathya Sai center	Thursday bhajans	None: officers chosen by consensus	Nothing
Sikhism
Gurdwara	Sunday diwan and langar; open every day, with langar at midday	Granthi, hired by the committee	Nothing
Jainism
Jain center	Sunday puja and lunch; darshan every day	None: an elected president	Nothing
Jain Vishva Bharati	Saturday Preksha meditation	Samanis, assigned by the acharya	Nothing
Shinto
Shinto shrine	Visits every day; the monthly rite on the 1st and 15th; no weekly service	Guji, called by the board	Nothing
Konko Churches of North America	Sunday service; mediation every day	Minister, appointed; often a minister's child	5%, voluntary
Tenrikyo	Sunday and daily services; the monthly service	Head minister, installed for life	10% up the line of parent churches
Chinese religion
Chinese folk temple	Open every day for incense; rites on its great days; no weekly service	None: the board, and a temple keeper	Nothing: no wider body
Daoist temple	Tai chi and chanting on Sunday; classes in the week	Priest, appointed, part-time	Nothing
Yiguandao	Sunday Tao meeting and lunch	Master, unpaid, appointed up the lineage	Nothing