THE DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES CONDUCTED A SURVEY FOR THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF ITS MEMBERSHIP AND RELIGIOUS BELIEFS. THE AIM WAS TO COMPARE VARIOUS POPULATIONS (CLERGY, COMMUNICANTS, CHURCH SCHOOL TEACHERS, AND YOUTH), CONCERNING THE EXTENT OF THEIR ORTHODOXY. VOLUMES IIA AND IIB OF THE REPORT RELATE TO THE MAJOR PROBLEM OF COMMUNICATION TO THE PARTICIPANT IN RELIGIOUS EDUCATION, AS AFFECTED BY THE COMMUNICATION VARIABLES (OR FILTERS) OF SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND THE LOCAL CHURCH, SOCIAL ROLES SYSTEMS, LANGUAGE AND OTHER SKILLS, MOTIVATION SYSTEMS, AND BELIEF SYSTEMS. IT WAS IMPLIED THAT A MESSAGE PASSING THROUGH THESE FILTERS WOULD BE MODIFIED, BUT IT WAS FOUND THAT THE EXTENT TO WHICH FILTERS INFLUENCE COMMUNICATION OF THE BELIEF SYSTEM EXCEEDED THE EXPECTATIONS OF THE RESEARCHERS. THEY TEND TO SCATTER THE MESSAGE AND MAKE IT DIFFUSE AND BROKEN. NONTHEOLOGICAL FACTORS, SOCIOLOGICAL AND SOCIOPSYCHOLOGICAL IN NATURE, SEEM MORE IMPORTANT IN HOLDING CHURCHES TOGETHER AND IN HOLDING INDIVIDUALS IN THE CHURCH. THE DOCUMENT INCLUDES TABLES AND BIBLIOGRAPHIES. IT WAS PUBLISHED BY THE BOARD OF CHRISTIAN EDUCATION OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 1321 WALNUT (WITHERSPOON BUILDING), PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA 19107. (EB)