Evangelism

Philosophy

Social psychology

Economics

Protestantism

Psychology

Political science

Demographic economics

Religiosity

Sociology

Consumption (sociology)

Socioeconomics

Religious studies

Social science

The Quarterly Journal of Economics

We study the causal impact of religiosity through a randomized evaluation of an evangelical Protestant Christian values and theology education program delivered to thousands of ultrapoor Filipino households. Six months after the program ended, treated households have higher religiosity and income; no statistically significant differences in total labor supply, consumption, food security, or life satisfaction; and lower perceived relative economic status. Exploratory analysis suggests that the income treatment effect may operate through increasing grit. Thirty months after the program ended, significant differences in the intensity of religiosity disappear, but those in the treatment group are less likely to be Catholic and more likely to be Protestant, and there is some mixed evidence that their consumption and perceived relative economic status are higher.

Randomizing Religion: the Impact of Protestant Evangelism on Economic Outcomes*