The Barna Group, a Christian research company, released a report on August 10, 2009, that found links between congregational size and the members’ theological beliefs, religious behaviors and demographic characteristics, including political leanings. The report says, for example, that those who attend megachurches are more likely to be Republicans.

Read an Aug. 12, 2009, Christianity Today article about megachurches training future pastors themselves rather than drawing from established seminaries.

Read a Sept. 25, 2009, Crosswalk.com article about the trend toward multisite megachurches.

Andrew R. Murphy is an associate professor of political science at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J. He co-edited the book Religion, Politics and American Identity: New Directions, New Controversies.

Written by Lucas A. Catton. Catton discusses his personal experience as a Scientologist and explains the inner workings of the Church’s Narconon network.

Written by Jenna Miscavige Hill. Hill, niece of Scientology leader David Miscavige, writes about her personal experience growing up in the Church of Scientology.

Written by Janet Reitman. Reitman describes the book as “the first objective modern history of the Church of Scientology.”

Written by Lawrence Wright. Wright gives a history of Scientology in America.

Rhett Diessner is a psychology professor at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. He wrote Psyche and Eros: Bahá’í Studies in a Spiritual Psychology.