Open AccessTransmission of Faith in Families: The Influence of Religious Ideology
Author(s) -
J. V. Smith
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
sociology of religion
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.861
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1759-8818
pISSN - 1069-4404
DOI - 10.1093/socrel/sraa045
Subject(s) - religiosity , ideology , faith , socialization , social psychology , psychology , church attendance , religious identity , attendance , centrality , sociology , worship , gender studies , political science , law , theology , politics , philosophy , mathematics , combinatorics
The family and denominational factors influencing intergenerational religious transmission have been examined in a substantial body of work. Despite research identifying religious ideology as a salient aspect of American religion, however, its role in religious transmission remains unexplored. In this study, I use the National Study of Youth and Religion to test whether children's worship attendance and centrality of faith in young adulthood differ based on whether their parents identify as religiously liberal, moderate, conservative, or none of these. I further test whether the strength of the relationship between parent and child religiosity differs between ideological groups. The primary finding is that religious transmission is stronger among children of religious conservatives than for any other group, while the other groups do not differ significantly from one another. These differences in transmission are largely explained by religious conservative parenting approaches, congregational involvement, and most importantly, more intensive religious socialization.