Dean Hoge facts for kids

Dean R. Hoge (born May 27, 1937, died September 13, 2008) was an American sociologist. He spent many years studying people's beliefs and how they practice their faith, especially focusing on Catholics in America. He was well-known for his surveys about the priesthood.

Early Life and Education

Dean Hoge grew up in New Knoxville, Ohio. He first studied architecture at the Ohio State University, graduating with high honors in 1960. He then studied in Germany at the University of Bonn in 1961. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1964. He continued his studies at Harvard University, getting a master's degree in 1967 and a doctorate in sociology in 1970.

A Career in Teaching and Research

Before joining Catholic University in 1974, Dean Hoge taught at Princeton Theological Seminary in New Jersey. At Catholic University, he taught and conducted research for 34 years. From 1999 to 2004, he was the director of the university's Life Cycle Institute.

Studying Religion in America

Dean Hoge wrote 25 books about religious life in America. Most of his research focused on Catholicism.

Key Books on Catholicism

His first major book was Understanding Church Growth and Decline 1950-1978, which he worked on with David Roozen. In 1987, he published The Future of Catholic Leadership: Responses to the Priest Shortage. He also wrote about young adults and their faith in Young Adult Catholics: Religion in the Culture of Choice (2001).

He explored different aspects of the priesthood in several books:

• The First Five Years of the Priesthood (2002)
• Evolving Visions of the Priesthood (2003)
• International Priests in America (2006)

Research on Other Faiths

Dean Hoge also studied other Christian groups. He co-authored Vanishing Boundaries: The Religion of Mainline Protestant Baby Boomers (1994). Another book, Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry (2005), looked at why some church leaders leave their roles.

He also studied why people donate money to churches. This research led to the book Money Matters: Personal Giving in American Churches (1996).

Leadership in Research Societies

Dean Hoge was a leader in groups that study religion. In 1979 and 1980, he was the president of the Religious Research Association. From October 2007 until his death, he served as president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion (SSSR).