Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down across Generations

by Vern L. Bengtson, Norella M. Putney (With), Susan Harris (With)

Winner of the Distinguished Book Award from American Sociology Association Sociology of Religion Section
Winner of the Richard Kalish Best Publication Award from the Gerontological Society of America

Few things are more likely to cause heartache to devout parents than seeing their child leave the faith. And it seems, from media portrayals, that this is happening more and more frequently. But is religious change between generations common? How does religion get passed down from one generation to the next? How do some families succeed in passing on their faith while others do not? Families and How Religion is Passed Down across Generations seeks to answer these questions and many more.

For almost four decades, Vern Bengtson and his colleagues have been conducting the largest-ever study of religion and family across generations. Through war and social upheaval, depression and technological revolution, they have followed more than 350 families composed of more than 3,500 individuals whose lives span more than a century--the oldest was born in 1881, the youngest in 1988--to find out how religion is, or is not, passed down from one generation to the next.

What they found may come as a despite enormous changes in American society, a child is actually more likely to remain within the fold than leave it, and even the nonreligious are more likely to follow their parents' example than to rebel. And while outside forces do play a role, the crucial factor in whether a child keeps the faith is the presence of a strong fatherly bond. Mixing unprecedented data with gripping interviews and sharp analysis, Families and Faith offers a fascinating exploration of what allows a family to pass on its most deeply-held tradition--its faith.

Genres: Religion, Parenting, Nonfiction, Church, Christian, Family, Discipleship

286 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a good book that I heard recommended by Trent Horn. The big finding about dads was covered in his video, but what he didn't mention was in some ways more interesting, and also related to why conservatives lose at everything.

Hidden in this book, and ignored, is - as it turns out - another book: Science Politics and Gnosticism. It's not that the "nones" are actually "nones" it's that they're being scraped from traditional belief systems into libertine scientism. The right ignores this, and allows the category game to go on without issue.

The "nones" are falling off a gnostic assembly line, and everyone just pretends it's a bottom up phenomenon with nobody behind it, while also asserting it isn't of a religious nature. The regime learned from the failure of "transcendental meditation", and now reclasses everything as "science" to avoid muh Constitution's restrictions.

Read Orthodoxy and the Religion of the Future

[Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Families and Faith summarizes the results of a longitudinal study, involving hundreds of families, about how faith is transmitted across generations.
The study results show that a warm relationship between the children and their parents is a key factor in successfully transmitting faith from parents to children. Particularly significant is having a warm relationship between the child and the father. Another interesting result of the study is that transmission success rates haven't declined in the last 50 years or so, in contrast to what some might think because of declining religious belief among Americans. However, non-belief seems to have a greater success rate in transmissions between generations.
A lot of the results confirm what common sense would suggest: families with mixed religious belief, or inconsistent religious belief, or parents with poor relationships with their children--those families have the least success in transmitting their religious beliefs across generations.

[Michael Hentrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very insightful book on the results of a long term longitudinal study across multiple generations and observing the transmission of religion, including atheism/none. A lot of very good food for thought as I myself am figuring out how to pass my faith on to my children. Being able to look across 4 and 5 generations gives a lot of insights and also allows the reader to be able to see the influence in grandparents as one example. Not too long of a read but it is a bit dry at times. Altogether, great book.

[Allison Wise · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am sorry. I am sure Dr. Bengtson is a great guy, and he spent so much time on this book and his research. However, I just did not think there were any revelatory things he said, and it was just a weird book about religion honestly. His main point, that religion is best passed down by parents who are warm & supportive, fell flat and I didn't think there were any compelling points.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't the easiest book to read - very academic, based on 35 years of surveys and study of a group of families in California. But it has some very comforting and helpful things to say in regards to the influence of families in transmitting religion to their children. Families are more influencial than they may think and it discusses traits of those who pass faith to next generations successfully. It also stresses the importance of grandparents and great-grandparents, who are growing in influence. The book was surprised by that. Churches need to focus on strengthening families - less on generation-specific programs and more on activities that will promote the growth of the family together. Very helpful book.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting description of the findings of a 35 year study involving generations of families whose birth years spanned almost a century. Though the information about how religion is passed from one generation to another was interesting the things that I found most intriguing were the findings on how different generations viewed the nature of God as well as how they defined both religion and spirituality. It was interesting to see those laid out and then find similar trends both in the various generations in my own family as well as in the discourses over the past century of ecclesiastical leaders of my own faith.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although there have been several books written concerning families, faith, and intergenerational ministry, this is the only work I am aware of that notes long-term data and follows the same families for decades. Bengston and colleagues begin by noting the demise of the family structure – particularly how older generations have abdicated the responsibility of passing on religious traditions to those younger. The survey determines the importance of close-knit familial relationships and continuity in order to make disciples. Although it might be considered a tedious read for the average lay-person, the study is beneficial for Church leadership and staff.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting study. Most people automatically blame society for something like the inability to pass on religious traditions, but it makes sense that parents have the most influence over their children's religious journey.

[Bennett Moody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book with great insight

Learned a lot from this book about generational faith. While there were many typos and grammar errors throughout, it was still a great read.

[Joseph Seo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Eye opening insights are there. What parents and pastors should know about is that the situation is not the worst as we think

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

2/22/14

[Amandasaved · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very well researched - he follows families over 35 yrs, however, dry at times.