{"id":2074013,"date":"2023-10-20T10:59:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-20T14:59:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-two-parent-family-in-childhood-predicts-church-participation-in-adulthood-studies-reveal\/"},"modified":"2023-10-20T11:05:51","modified_gmt":"2023-10-20T15:05:51","slug":"a-two-parent-family-in-childhood-predicts-church-participation-in-adulthood-studies-reveal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-two-parent-family-in-childhood-predicts-church-participation-in-adulthood-studies-reveal\/","title":{"rendered":"Studies show that growing up in a two-parent family predicts church participation in adulthood."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">28<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fa-two-parent-family-in-childhood-predicts-church-participation-in-adulthood-studies-reveal%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2074013&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><blockquote>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>When fathers abandon their children, \u2064the\u200c children\u200d eventually turn away from God, according \u200dto a groundbreaking study by \u200bthe nonprofit research group Communio. <a href=\"https:\/\/communio.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/08\/Final-Study-1.9.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Read the study here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;This\u200d is the missing piece,&#8221; exclaimed J.P. de Gance, the president of Communio, in an interview with The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;If more young people grew\u2062 up in households where Mom and Dad stayed \u200btogether, we\u200b would \u200d<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/a-two-parent-family-in-childhood-predicts-church-participation-in-adulthood-studies-reveal\/\" title=\"Studies show that growing up in a two-parent family predicts church participation in adulthood.\">undoubtedly witness significantly higher levels<\/a> of church participation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<h2>Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/gop-debate-ramaswamy-praised-for-bringing-up-epidemic-of-fatherlessness-5479943?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">GOP Debate: Ramaswamy Praised For Bringing Up \u2018Epidemic of Fatherlessness\u2019<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">8\/24\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/gop-debate-ramaswamy-praised-for-bringing-up-epidemic-of-fatherlessness-5479943?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n<picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/*\" https:><\/source>\n<\/picture>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<li>\n<div class=\"mb-4 flex gap-2\">\n<div class=\"grow\">\n<div class=\"mb-1 line-clamp-4 sm:line-clamp-3\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/children-from-fatherless-homes-most-affected-by-mental-health-behavioral-issues-report-5342046?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3 class=\"text-sm sm:text-base\">Children From Fatherless Homes Most at Risk for Mental Health, Behavioral Issues: Report<\/h3>\n<p><\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">6\/19\/2023<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"shrink-0 basis-[70px] sm:basis-[120px]\">\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/children-from-fatherless-homes-most-affected-by-mental-health-behavioral-issues-report-5342046?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\">\n<picture><source type=\"image\/webp\" https:><\/source><source type=\"image\/*\" https:><\/source>\n<\/picture>\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Furthermore, \u200da decline in \u2064church participation is often accompanied by changes in various\u200c aspects of society, including\u200c political preferences, birth \u200brates, \u2064mental health, \u200cand \u2063social trends.<\/p>\n<p>Communio&#8217;s study, which focuses on strengthening families through church evangelization, tracked these shifts in the United\u2064 States and found consistent results\u2063 with other research firms.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Between 1972 and today, the percentage of Christians in \u200cAmerica\u200b decreased from \u206390\u200b percent to 64 percent, according to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/religion\/2022\/09\/13\/modeling-the-future-of-religion-in-america\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pew Research Center polls<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>These former Christians have now become part of the\u2063 growing group known as &#8220;nones&#8221; who identify\u200c as having no \u2062religious preference, \u200cas indicated by the polls.<\/p>\n<p>If current trends persist, it is projected that the \u200dmajority\u200d of Americans will identify as &#8220;nones&#8221; by 2070, according to Pew studies. \u200cThis significant\u2063 shift in religious \u200caffiliation has far-reaching implications for American culture.<\/p>\n<p>Pew also discovered that 70 percent \u200dof non-religious adults vote \u200bDemocrat, while 43 percent of Christian adults\u2063 also lean towards\u200d the Democratic party.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:640px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>Families attend a service \u2064for Orthodox Easter at the\u2062 All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church in the East Village neighborhood in New York on April 24, \u20632022. \u2063(Stephanie Keith\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>Interestingly, the average non-religious woman has 1.6 \u2064children, while\u200d the average Christian woman has 1.9 children. This means that a group of 10 non-religious women would have 16 children,\u2064 whereas\u2063 a group of 10 Christian women would\u2063 have 19 children.<\/p>\n<p>The decline in church\u200c affiliation \u200cmay also be linked to the rise of loneliness. Numerous studies suggest that \u2064Americans \u200ctoday feel lonelier than\u200d ever, coinciding \u2062with the decline of church-connected \u2064communities, as observed by Communio \u200cresearchers.<\/p>\n<p>While approximately \u200b50 percent of all\u200b American adults experience loneliness, only 22 percent\u2064 of churchgoers report\u200c feeling lonely.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;We can clearly see the effects of the decline in marriage, ranging from the loneliness epidemic to high levels of depression and low\u200c levels of social trust,&#8221; Mr. Gance remarked.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>&#8220;Within the family, we learn to trust and reconcile \u2063our differences. \u200dAs fewer and fewer people experience this\u200c healthy modeling of conflict resolution and reconciliation, we witness its negative \u200cimpact on wider society.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2>Sexual Revolution Accelerated Fatherlessness<\/h2>\n<p>The decline in religious faith, trust, community, and birth \u2063rates can be traced back\u200b to the increase\u2063 in fatherlessness resulting \u200bfrom the sexual revolution, as highlighted\u2062 by Communio researchers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Researchers\u200d concluded that reversing the trend of fatherlessness in \u200cAmerica would also halt the decline in church participation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In 1960, only 5 percent of children were born\u200d outside \u200cof marriage, according\u2062 to a\u2064 study by\u2062 the \u2062Congressional Joint Economic Committee. By\u200b 2021, this figure \u200chad \u200crisen \u200bto \u206240\u200d percent, as indicated by \u200ca federal\u2063 study.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>This high rate of births to unwed mothers, combined with \u200ba high \u2062divorce rate, means that \u200cmost children do not grow \u2063up \u200bin households with\u200c married\u2062 parents, according to a \u2063 <a href=\"https:\/\/downloads.frc.org\/EF\/EF15B28.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">2015\u200d study<\/a> by the Marriage and Religion Research Institute.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;Historically, marriage was\u2064 intertwined with several \u200baspects of life,&#8221;\u2064 explained Mr. Gance. &#8220;It was\u200b connected to \u200csex, partnering,\u200c and parenting.<\/p>\n<p>However, with the popularization of birth control\u2063 pills, sex \u2063became detached from marriage. This led to a significant weakening of the family as an \u200binstitution in \u2064America,&#8221;\u2062 Mr. Gance added.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:734px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>A packet of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-exactly-happens-in-chinese-concentration-camps\/\" title=\"What Exactly Happens In Chinese Concentration Camps?\">birth control pills<\/a> in\u200b Philadelphia \u2064on July 11, 2022. (Hannah Beier\/Illustration\/Reuters)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>The study findings \u2062also suggest that \u200da stable, two-parent family is a strong predictor of church attendance.<\/p>\n<p>The decoupling of sex from marriage appears to have contributed to the\u200b decline in church participation among Americans, according to Mr. Gance.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Establishing causation is notoriously \u200bchallenging,&#8221;\u200c the researchers noted.<\/p>\n<p>However, they firmly believe that &#8220;family structure lies at the \u200dcore of the decline in church \u2063participation.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>As the proportion of fatherless\u2062 families in society has increased, the number of people attending church\u200b has declined, as revealed by \u2064the Communio study.<\/p>\n<h2>US Leads in Single-Parent Homes<\/h2>\n<p>Nevertheless, this\u2063 shift did not occur immediately, as demonstrated\u200d by the study.<\/p>\n<p>It appears that people tend to\u2064 leave the church approximately\u2062 25-30 years after families break apart. The two trends follow a similar\u200d trajectory, according to the Communio study.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, when marriage rates began to decline in the\u2064 1960s, church\u200d participation started to \u200cdecrease in the \u20621980s, as indicated by the \u2063study&#8217;s findings.<\/p>\n<p>In 1970,\u200d the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/misnamed-respect-for-marriage-act-doesnt-just-gut-religious-liberties-it-puts-selfish-adult-wants-over-kids-needs\/\" title=\"Misnamed \u2018Respect For Marriage Act\u2019 Doesn\u2019t Just Gut Religious Liberties, It Puts Selfish Adult Wants Over Kids\u2019 Needs\">nonmarital birth rate<\/a> was\u2064 10 percent. Approximately 30 years later, in the late 1990s, the rate of religious non-affiliation was \u2063also 10 percent.<\/p>\n<p>Since the 1980s, the\u2064 nonmarital birth\u200c rate has closely mirrored the rate of religious non-affiliation, as illustrated by a graph from Communio.<\/p>\n<p>The nonmarital birth \u200crate exceeded 20 percent in the 1980s,\u200b and about 30 years later,\u2063 in\u2063 the late 2010s, the rate of religious non-affiliation also surpassed 20 percent.<\/p>\n<div class=\"post-figure\" style=\"margin-left:0;margin-right:0;max-width:1200px\">\n<figure style=\"width:704px;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto\" class=\"aligncenter\"><figcaption>A church in\u2062 Santa Ana, \u200dCalif., on Aug. 24, 2020. (John Fredricks\/The\u2064 Epoch Times)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<p>In 2020, 30 percent of Americans surveyed by the \u2062Pew\u2064 Research\u2062 Center identified as having no religion. If current trends persist, the conclusions of the Communio survey suggest that by 2040,\u2063 40 percent of Americans\u2063 will not affiliate with any religious faith.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>The United States leads\u200b the world in single parenthood, with 23 percent \u200bof children growing up in single-parent \u200dhomes, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/short-reads\/2019\/12\/12\/u-s-children-more-likely-than-children-in-other-countries-to-live-with-just-one-parent\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">study<\/a> \u200c by the Pew Research Center. Only\u2062 the United \u200dKingdom has a\u2064 higher percentage of children in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/what-is-critical-race-theory-breaking-down-the-ideology-thats-hitting-schools-across-the-country\/\" title=\"What is Critical Race Theory? Breaking Down The Ideology That\u2019s Hitting Schools Across The Country\">single-parent homes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>However, Mr. \u200bGance believes that\u2062 fatherlessness \u2062may eventually self-correct over the long term.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In the long run, I am optimistic,&#8221; he stated. &#8220;As the family declines, those who continue to marry \u200band have children tend to be the most faith-oriented individuals\u2064 within a population, and they can lay the groundwork for renewal.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Studies conducted by \u200dthe Pew Research Center indicate that religious individuals tend to have more children than non-religious individuals.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>Ultimately, \u2064those who pass on their values and have\u2064 larger families will\u2064 eventually become the majority, leading to significant cultural shifts, as predicted by <a href=\"https:\/\/groups.etown.edu\/amishstudies\/files\/2018\/08\/Population_Change_1992-2018.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">researchers<\/a> \u2063at the\u2062 Elizabethtown\u2063 College Young Center for Anabaptist and\u2064 Pietist Studies.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>According to the Elizabethtown study, if current birth rate trends continue, America will become a majority Amish nation in 215 years.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> How does the \u2064decline in church\u2064 participation and the rise of the &#8220;nones&#8221; reflect societal values and priorities, particularly in relation to intact families and the\u200d role of fathers<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Age Christian woman has 2.2 children, according\u2063 to \u200cdata from the\u200c National Center for Health Statistics.<\/p>\n<p>These findings align \u200dwith the \u2064study conducted by\u2062 Communio, which \u2062highlights the correlation between intact families and \u2062higher levels \u200bof\u2063 church participation. When fathers abandon their children, it creates a void \u200bin\u200b their lives, \u2062leading them to seek fulfillment elsewhere, often resulting in a turning\u200d away from\u2062 God and\u2063 organized\u2064 religion.<\/p>\n<p>The impact of \u200babsent\u2063 fathers on\u200b children has been the\u200d subject of \u200cnumerous studies and reports. \u200bChildren\u2064 from fatherless \u2062homes \u200bare more likely \u200bto experience\u200c behavioral\u2062 and mental health issues, struggle academically, and\u2064 engage in\u2062 risky behaviors such as substance abuse\u200c and criminal activities. They also have lower self-esteem and face challenges in building healthy\u200b relationships. The \u2062absence of a\u2062 father figure leaves an\u2062 indelible mark on their \u200bwell-being and\u2064 spiritual development.<\/p>\n<p>Communio&#8217;s \u2064research sheds\u200b light on the long-term consequences of\u200d fatherlessness \u200bon religious affiliation. The \u2063study emphasizes the importance of strong, intact families in the spiritual \u2062and moral formation of children, \u2064which ultimately influences their commitment to religious beliefs \u2064and practices. When fathers actively participate in \u2063their children&#8217;s lives \u2064and provide a stable and nurturing environment, children are more likely to develop a strong \u200bconnection \u2064with God and engage in religious activities.<\/p>\n<p>The decline\u2063 in \u200bchurch participation\u200b and the \u2063rise of the &#8220;nones&#8221; signify a \u2064shift in\u200b societal values and \u2064priorities. As\u200b the institution of marriage is weakened and families become more fragmented, the impact is felt on\u200c various \u200clevels. Not only does it affect individual\u2062 well-being and family dynamics, but it also has implications\u200d for political preferences, birth rates, and social trends.<\/p>\n<p>Moreover, the decline in religious affiliation\u200d opens up\u200b debates on moral and \u200dethical frameworks that guide our society. Without a strong \u200dfoundation\u200d in\u200d faith\u200d and religion, individuals may struggle to find\u200d a\u2063 moral compass and face challenges in navigating complex ethical \u200bdilemmas. This has far-reaching \u2062consequences for the fabric of our\u2064 communities and the values we\u200d uphold.<\/p>\n<p>Recognizing \u200dthe \u200dimportance of intact families and the role of fathers in nurturing their \u2063children&#8217;s spiritual life is crucial. It calls\u200b for a collective effort\u200b to support and strengthen families, providing \u2062resources and assistance to fathers who may be facing challenges in their parenting role. By addressing the issue of fatherlessness, we can potentially reverse the trend of declining church participation and foster a healthier, more \u2064spiritually\u200c grounded \u2062society.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2063 study \u200bby Communio \u200cunderscores the influence of fathers on\u200d their children&#8217;s \u200breligious\u2063 journey. It serves as a reminder of the importance of active fatherhood and \u200cthe \u200cimpact\u200d it\u200d has on\u2063 the spiritual\u2064 well-being \u2063and future trajectory of children. By\u2064 prioritizing the preservation of intact families and encouraging fathers&#8217; involvement\u200b in\u2063 their children&#8217;s lives, we can cultivate a society where faith and God are cherished \u200cvalues, creating \u2064a \u2062<a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/oakland-misses-deadlines-for-public-safety-grants-worth-millions-los-angeles-da-doesnt-apply\/\" title=\"Oakland fails to meet deadlines for valuable public safety grants, LA DA doesn't apply.\">positive ripple effect<\/a> across generations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When fathers abandon their kids, they eventually abandon God too, as per a study by research group Communio. J.P. de Gance, Communio&#8217;s president, stated that this is the crucial factor missing. Growing up with both parents present would lead to more youngsters staying connected to God, he told The Epoch Times.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":259,"featured_media":2074014,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2074013","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074013","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/259"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2074013"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2074013\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2074014"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2074013"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2074013"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2074013"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}