An Overview of Selected World Religions
Represented in the Louisville Area
Christianity (World Population 2.1-2.2 billion, more than 200 million in the US) Includes Catholics Orthodox and Protestants. The Louisville area phone directories list over 100 Catholic Churches, 2 Orthodox Churches and several hundred Protestant houses of worship. The majority of the Louisville Metro population is Protestant; Catholics number more than 130,000; Orthodox number slightly more than 1,000.
Protestant denominations represented in the area include: Adventist, African Methodist Episcopal, African Methodist Episcopal Zion, Anglican Catholic, Apostolic, Assemblies of God, Baptist, Charismatic, Christian, Christian-Disciples of Christ, Christian Methodist Episcopal, Christian & Missionary Alliance, Church of Christ, Church of God, Church of God-Anderson, Church of God-Cleveland, Church of God in Christ, Church of God of Prophecy, Church of the Nazarene, Community Church, Episcopal, Evangelical Free, Foursquare Gospel, Full Gospel, Holiness, Independent, Inter-denominational, Lutheran, Lutheran-Missouri Synod, Methodist, United Methodist, Pentecostal, Pentecostal Holiness, Presbyterian (PCUSA) Presbyterian PCA, Seventh Day Adventists, Church of Christ, Wesleyan, Word of Faith and, of course, Unity.
Judaism (WP 12-18 million, 7 million in the US). Louisville is home to 5 Jewish congregations: One Orthodox, two Conservative and two Reform, serving about 8,500 Jews in the area.
Islam (WP 1.3-1.6 billion, 1.1 million+ in the US). There are at least six Mosques in the Louisville Metro area, as well as a group called Independent Muslims of Louisville. Estimates vary, but there may now be more than 10,000 Muslims in the Louisville metropolitan area.
Baha’i Faith (WP 7.6-7.9 million, 160,000 in the US). Louisville has a Baha’i Center that serves the greater Louisville and Southern Indiana area. Its members number more than 100.
Hinduism (WP 950 million to 1.4 billion, 766,000 in the US). Louisville is home to the Hindu Temple of Kentucky which itself includes temples representing Hindu traditions from North and South India as well as the Jain religion. The Hindu Temple serves several hundred Hindus and Jains.
Buddhism (WP 250-500 million, 1.1 million in the US). Louisville’s Buddhist population is served by houses of worship and/or organizations including Zen, Tibetan, Soka Gakkai (Nichiren), Vietnamese, and Sri Lankan Buddhist traditions. There are now over 1,000 Buddhists in Louisville and Southern Indiana.
Sikhism (WP 20-30 million, 80,000 in the US). Little is currently known about the Sikh population in the Louisville area. Their number in Louisville is relatively small and they gather for worship in the homes of adherants.
Native American Religion (More than 3 million in the US). Although more than 40% practice indigenous religion, many Native Americans combine their practice with that of Christianity, the Baha’i Faith or other religions. Although there are probably several hundred Native Americans living in Louisville and Southern Indiana, little information is currently available about regularly scheduled religious services.
Friends or Quakers (WP 300,000, 100,000 in the US). Louisville has one congregation of Quakers, also known more accurately as the Religious Society of the Friends of Truth. The Louisville Friends number fewer than 100.
Unitarian Universalist (WP 630,000, 221,000 in the US). There are three Unitarian/Universalist houses of worship in the Louisville area: downtown, Clifton area, and Louisville’s East End, serving nearly 1,000 people in the community.
Among other religious groups represented in Louisville are: Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christian Science, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons), the Salvation Army, Shinto, Zoroastrians, Wiccans, and followers of Humanistic Judaism.