My Religion Research

Divine Callings
(NYU Press 2012)

[BOOK]

One of the unique aspects of the religious profession is the high percentage of those who claim to be “called by God” to do their work. This call is particularly important within African American Christian traditions. Divine Callings offers a rare sociological examination of this markedly understudied phenomenon within black ministry.

Church Planters
(Oxford Press 2021)

[BOOK]

Most new firms fail; half of all “economic” ventures fail within five years. Though the mortality rate for congregations is much lower, the vast majority of churches that fail today are those founded by an independent leader. So, while there is little general risk of church “failure,” founding a church is an especially risky venture. Why do men and women take on this risk? In Church Planters, I find that these clergy approach three common entrepreneurial challenges—opportunity recognition, marshaling resources, and framing success—in ways that reduce uncertainty and the fear of failure.

Gay Christians

[ARTICLES]

Pitt, Richard N. 2010. “’Killing The Messenger’: Gay Black Men’s Neutralization Of Anti-Gay Religious Messages.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49:56-72.

Pitt, Richard N. 2010. “’Still Looking For My Jonathan’: Gay Black Men’s Management Of Religious and Sexual Identity Conflicts.” Journal of Homosexuality 57:39-53.

Congregation Studies

[ARTICLES]

Pitt, Richard N., and Patrick Washington. 2020. “Differences Between Founder-Led and Non-Founder-Led Congregations” Review of Religious Research 62:67-82.

Pitt, Richard N. 2010. “Fear Of A Black Pulpit? Real Racial Transcendence Versus Cultural Assimilation In Multiracial Churches.” Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 49:218-223.

Selected Academic Presentations & Consultations

2024 Conference Talk, "In The Company of Faith: The Interconnectedness of Religious Community and Authentic Religious Expression" American Sociological Association, Association for the Sociology of Religion.
2024 Conference Talk, "Bridging Religious Past and Futures: The Nexus Between Religious Identity Commitment, Centrality, Reflected Appraisals, and Belief Stability." Association for the Sociology of Religion.
2022 Conference Talk, "Religion Deserts: Congregational Resource Scarcity Experienced By Students At Predominately Undergraduate Institutions (PUI)" Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, Association of Black Sociologists, Association for the Sociology of Religion
2021 *Sankofa Scholar, “The Black Church As Society and In Society” Candler School of Theology and Emory University
2020 Conference Talk, "Serving Converts and Clients: Church Planters' (New) Roles As Social Entrepreneurs", IV ISA Forum of Sociology
2019 *Colloquium Speaker “The Complex Relationship of Religion Entrepreneurship and Religious Patronage.” University of California San Diego Sociology
2019 *Focus Group Moderator and Consultant. Special Report On Black Religion, The Pew Research Center
2018 *Form/Huber Colloquium Speaker, “Converts, Clients, Constituents: The Complex Relationship of Religion Entrepreneurship and Religious Patronage” Ohio State University Sociology
2017 Conference Talk, "Butts, Budgets, and Buildings: How Religion Entrepreneurs Frame Success" Southern Sociological Society
2017 *Invited Speaker and Consultant, Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Project 2016 *Invited Lecture, Candler School of Theology
2016 Colloquium Speaker, “Clients, Customers, and Constituents: Resource Mobilization Among Religion Entrepreneurs” Duke University Sociology
2016 *Invited Speaker and Consultant, Louisville Institute Pastoral Study Project
2015 *Colloquium Speaker, “’Chew The Meat And Spit Out The Bones’: Zones of Ambiguity In The Call To Ministry” University of California Merced Sociology
2015 *Invited Lecturer, Candler School of Theology
2015 *Consultant, University of Notre Dame Well Being At Work Project “Flourishing In Ministry”
2014 Conference Talk, “Race Differences in the Meaning and Message of Gospel (Black) and Christian Contemporary (White) Music” Association for the Sociology of Religion
2013 *Visiting Scholar, Cornerstone University 2013
2010 Colloquium Speaker, “Of Priests and Prophets: The (Non-) Value Of Educational Credentialing In Pentecostal Ordination”, Duke University Sociology and University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Sociology 

My Research Has Been Supported By Vanderbilt University Research Scholar Grants (2003, 2013, 2015) and by the Louisville Institute (2013 Project Grant for Researchers, 2015 Sabbatical Grant for Researchers)

* Honoraria and expenses paid