Churches in Wisconsin

Religious Landscape of Wisconsin

Wisconsin is one of the most distinctly Catholic and Lutheran states in America, a reflection of the German, Scandinavian, Polish, and Irish immigration that shaped its settlement. The Catholic Church is the largest denomination, with the Archdiocese of Milwaukee serving a large and historically devout population. Polish Catholic parishes on Milwaukee's South Side and German Catholic communities in rural areas are enduring cultural institutions. Wisconsin is unique in being the home of three major Lutheran bodies: the ELCA, the Missouri Synod, and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), which is headquartered in Waukesha. Together, these three bodies operate over 1,400 congregations, making Wisconsin one of the most Lutheran states in the country. The WELS, the most theologically conservative of the three, has a particularly strong footprint in Wisconsin, operating parochial schools, a college (Martin Luther College), and a seminary. United Methodists and various Reformed congregations are also present. Non-denominational churches like Elmbrook Church in Brookfield have grown in the suburbs. Wisconsin's adherence rate of about 54% is above the national average, with Catholic and Lutheran traditions remaining culturally influential even among those who attend services less frequently than their parents and grandparents did.