Dean Hoge

{{Short description|American sociologist (1937–2008)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} '''Dean R. Hoge''' (May 27, 1937 – September 13, 2008) was an American sociologist who spent decades studying American Catholics, especially empirical surveys on the priesthood.

==Biography== Hoge spend his childhood at New Knoxville, Ohio.<ref name="wp">Holley, Joe [https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/18/AR2008091803712.html Dean Hoge; Wrote Key Studies on Religion], ''The Washington Post'', 2008-09-19, p. B09, retrieved 2008-09-26</ref> He graduated from the Ohio State University School of Architecture in 1960,<ref name="wp" /> and studied in 1961 at the University of Bonn, Germany.<ref name="Bonn">[http://www.nocercc.com/2004Awards.htm 2005 President's Distinguished Service Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050203194908/http://nocercc.com/2004Awards.htm |date=2005-02-03 }}, retrieved 2008-09-28</ref> He received his bachelor's degree from Harvard Divinity School in 1964, and a master's degree in 1967 and a doctorate in 1970, both in sociology from Harvard University.<ref name="cv">[http://sociology.cua.edu/faculty/Hoge.cfm Academic CV and list of publications], retrieved 2008-09-26</ref>

He served as an instructor and assistant professor at Princeton Theological Seminary, Department of Christianity and Society in New Jersey<ref name="cv" /> before joining the Catholic University's faculty in 1974.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="ncr" /> He served as director of the university's Life Cycle Institute from 1999 to 2004.<ref name="cv" /><ref name="ncr" />

In his 34-year career, he wrote 25 books about religious life in America.<ref name="ncr">[http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node/1915 Obituary (National Catholic Reporter)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090217151119/http://ncronline3.org/drupal/?q=node%2F1915 |date=2009-02-17 }}, retrieved 2008-09-26</ref> His research primarily focused on Catholicism. His first major work was ''Understanding Church Growth and Decline 1950-1978'', co-edited with David Roozen. In 1987 he published ''The Future of Catholic Leadership: Responses to the Priest Shortage'', and in 2001 he co-authored ''Young Adult Catholics: Religion in the Culture of Choice''. He co-authored ''American Catholics: Gender, Generation, and Commitment'' (2001), authored ''The First Five Years of the Priesthood'' (2002), and co-authored ''Evolving Visions of the Priesthood'' (2003) and ''International Priests in America'' (2006).

Two major Protestant research studies resulted in co-authored books, ''Vanishing Boundaries: The Religion of Mainline Protestant Baby Boomers'' (1994) and ''Pastors in Transition: Why Clergy Leave Local Church Ministry'' (2005). A cross-denominational study, including Catholics, looked into factors in church giving and led to the book ''Money Matters: Personal Giving in American Churches'' (1996).<ref name="Bonn" />

In 1979/80, he served as president of the Religious Research Association<ref name="cv" /> and from October 2007 until his death he served as president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion.<ref name="ssr">[http://www.sssrweb.org/past_presidents.cfm Presidents of SSSR] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081208192032/http://www.sssrweb.org/past_presidents.cfm |date=2008-12-08 }}, Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, retrieved 2008-09-21</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hoge, Dean}} Category:1937 births Category:2008 deaths Category:Sociologists of religion Category:Harvard Divinity School alumni Category:Princeton Theological Seminary faculty Category:Austin E. Knowlton School of Architecture alumni Category:University of Bonn alumni Category:Catholic University of America faculty Category:American sociologists Category:People from Auglaize County, Ohio