Tricia C. Bruce, PhD

Sociologist. Author. Researcher. Speaker.

Tricia C. Bruce, PhD, is a Senior Research Fellow with the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies, a 2025-2026 Affiliate of the Center for the Study of Religion & Society at the University of Notre Dame, President-Elect of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, and a five-time marathoner. She served previously as President of the Association for the Sociology of Religion, a papal-appointed consultor to the Synod on Synodality, and a tenured professor. She is the author of numerous award-winning books, articles, and reports in the sociology of religion and U.S. Catholicism.

Happenings

  • Faithful Revolution Now Available

    Today is the official release day for my book, Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful is Changing the Church. Orders placed through Oxford University Press will ship this week.  Orders placed via other sellers (e.g. Amazon) will ship within… Continue reading

  • Book Blog

    Find additional information, updates, and resources related to my book, Faithful Revolution, here: www.faithfulrevolution.com. Continue reading

  • Advance reviews for Faithful Revolution (out in February 2011)

    “Few things have rocked the American Church more than the clergy sexual abuse scandals of recent years. Voice of the Faithful (VOTF), a grassroots group committed to holding the church accountable, emerged as a result. Tricia Bruce shows with empirical… Continue reading

  • The Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults

    Which congregations are attracting 18-29 year-olds?  What does this success look like in the face of a changing religious landscape and trends in young adults living longer, marrying later, and undergoing increased career transition? With support from the Lilly Endowment,… Continue reading

  • United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) elects new president

    Today’s election of Archbishop Timothy Dolan (Archdiocese of New York) to the top seat in the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) caught many by surprise. Most expected the presidency to go to sitting VP, Bishop Gerald Kicanas (Diocese… Continue reading

  • Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful is Changing the Church

    My book, Faithful Revolution: How Voice of the Faithful is Changing the Church, is available for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and from Oxford University Press. Here is a brief description: In January 2002, investigative reporting at the Boston… Continue reading

  • Parishes without boundaries

    I was among the crowd gathered in downtown Seattle recently to observe the dedication of a new Catholic parish, Christ Our Hope. Christ Our Hope is among a growing number of “personal parishes” in the U.S. Catholic Church, a current research… Continue reading

  • Orienting Maryville College’s Class of 2014

    Maryville College welcomed the Class of 2014 to campus this week. I’ve accompanied my orientation group through new adventures, both in and out of the classroom. Here they are encountering the “Mountain Challenge” ropes course. See the full gallery on… Continue reading

  • American Sociological Association (ASA) 2010

    Thousands of sociologists descended upon Atlanta this weekend for the American Sociological Association Meetings, and I was one of them. See the full gallery on Posterous Continue reading

  • Do Churches Still Appeal to 20-somethings?

    This week I was in the field doing a case study of a Catholic parish known for its outreach to 18-29 year-olds.  This research is part of a national study examining the “Changing Spirituality of Emerging Adults” (www.changingsea.org).  What is… Continue reading

engaging A Sociological Perspective

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