Spencer, Anthony

(1928-) Working in the tradition of sociologie religieuse , Spencer aimed to establish an accurate demographic profile of the Catholic community in England and Wales. With this in mind, he set up the Newman Demographic Survey (1953) with the particular intention of providing the Catholic Education Council with accurate statistical information. In the 1960s, he created the Pastoral Research Centre. Spencer taught first at the Cavendish Square Graduate College (1964-1969), then at Queen’s University, Belfast (1970-1987). He was elected President of the International Conference for the Sociology of Religion in 1963 and 1965, and was active in the International Federation of Institutes of Social and Socio-Religious Research.

—Grace Davie