National Congregations Study Switzerland (NCSS) cross-sectional surveys, waves 1 and 2 (2008–2009, 2022–2023)

It provides harmonized variables covering organisational structure, staffing, finances, worship practices, youth and educational activities, social composition, external engagement, and inclusion norms. The dataset is based on stratified random samples of congregations drawn from comprehensive censuses, with interviews completed by a single knowledgeable key informant in each congregation, most often the spiritual leader.

The dataset includes two weighting variables. coefSample adjusts for unequal selection probabilities and nonresponse, allowing analyses to approximate nationally representative estimates of congregations. w3AttCong weights cases by the number of regular attenders, making it possible to describe the average experience or characteristics of individual congregants rather than congregations.