Overview• A 35-year study of families and generations• Influence of parents & grandparents on religion• Are families still passing on their faith?

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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?

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We conducted a study based on 35 years of data on families to find out.

The book received a surprising response from the media.

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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.”

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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