Welcome message from author
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
Overview• A 35-year study of families and generations• Influence of parents & grandparents on religion• Are families still passing on their faith?
2
Still, religion is pervasive in American society
• Religion is still important to most Americans– 92% of Americans say they believe in God– 68% of British– 32% of Swedes
• 72 % of Americans say they pray daily• 56% say that religion is “very important” in their lives
Sources: Zuckerman (2012); Pew (2013)
How important is religion in families?
3
4
We conducted a study based on 35 years of data on families to find out.
The book received a surprising response from the media.
5
1-27-14: “Mothers and fathers often throw up their hands and let popular culture take over, but parents have greater moral and religious influence than they think.”
6
2-1-14:Parental bonds prove more important than their practices or piety in passing on religious values.”
Parents and value transmission
Contrary to expectations, our data showed that parents had substantial influence on Millennials’ religious orientations.
7
8
Figure 1. Similarity Between Parents & Young Adult Children on Four Dimensions of Religiosity, 2005 (Standardized coefficients)
Religious Intensity Religious Participation Biblical Literalism Civic Religiosity0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.32
0.580.49
0.43
2005
Furthermore, there did not appear to have been a decline in transmission over time: coefficients of similarity were the same in 2005 as in 1970.
9
10
Figure 2. Similarity Between Parents & Young Adult Children on Four Dimensions of Religiosity, 1970 (red bar) and 2005 (yellow)
Religious Intensity Religious Participation Biblical Literalism Civic Religiosity0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.41
0.590.54
0.44
0.32
0.58
0.490.43
As we examined factors associated with high parental influence, we found that emotional bonds were key—particularly a warm relationship with a father.
11
12
Figure 3. Similarity Between Parents and Young Adult Children By Close versus Not Close Relationship, 2005
Religious Intensity Religious Participation Biblical Literalism Civic Religiosity0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
0.52
0.680.63
0.57
0.260.3
0.44
0.37 Close
Not Close
13
Low High
Low ClosenessHigh Closeness
Parent's Religiousness
Chil
d's
Rel
igio
usn
ess
Figure 4. A Close Parent-child Relationship Increases Transmission of Religious Values
As families are changing in America, it is increasingly important to look beyond the nuclear family. Grandparents have an influence, and we found their effects on the religious values of Millennials to be lasting.
14
15
Figure 5. Similarity between Grandparents and Grandchildren, 2005
Religious Identity Religious Participaion Biblical Literalism Civic Religiosity0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.20 0.21
0.31
0.27
• Perhaps even more surprising…The degree of grandparental influence on grandchildren's religiosity does not appear to have declined since the 1960s.
16
17
Figure 6. Similarity Between Grandparents and Grandchildren,1970 (G1-G3) and 2005 (G2-G4)
Religious Identity Religious Participaion Biblical Literalism Civic Religiosity0
0.05
0.1
0.15
0.2
0.25
0.3
0.35
0.18
0.26 0.27 0.26
0.2 0.21
0.31
0.27
1977
2005
Intergenerational Religious Momentum
1. Is there a “crisis” in family values today?
No.• Family bonds and family influences are strong• Multi-generational bonds may be stronger than ever before • The reason: “Longer years of linked lives” between parents
and children, grandparents and grandchildren, than before
19
2. Is there a “generation gap” in values and religion today?
No.• In religious values and beliefs, there are substantial
generational similarities in religion, except for church affiliation
• Polls about “nones” equate religion with belonging to a church—but there’s more to religion than that
• “I’m spiritual but not religious”: Many youth who reject churches are still religiously oriented
20
3. Are parents failing to pass on their faith to children?
No.• In religious values and beliefs, a minority of young
adults are different than the parents• Quality—closeness-- of the parent-child relationship is
particularly important to passing on values• Parental influence is not significantly less than it was a
generation ago
21
4. Are grandparents relevant?
Yes. • We must look beyond the nuclear family; grandparents are
more relevant to family functioning than ever before• Grandparent influence on children’s religious outcomes is
surprisingly high, and it has not diminished since the 1970’s
22
23