Preaching Matters: Replication and Extension

Abstract

Statistical evidence in a paper by Lipford, McCormick, and Tollison shows a negative relationship between church membership and social misbehavior. This paper replicates that relationship using more comprehensive data by U.S. county. We provide theoretical support for the statistical evidence by showing that churches encourage appropriate behavior (thus providing property rights enforcement) because doing so benefits churches and their members. As church membership increases, property rights enforcement increases, although at a diminishing rate.