Religious Change and Continuity Across Generations: Passing on Faith in Families of Six European and North American Nations

Silverstein, Merril (Editor)/ Gärtner, Christel (Editor)/ Brown, Maria T. (Editor)/ Adamczyk, Amy (Foreward By)/ Beyer, Peter (Contributor)

ISBN 10: 1666951293 / ISBN 13: 9781666951295

Published by Lexington Books, 2024

About this Item

234 pages. 9.00x6.00x0.75 inches. In Stock.

Seller Inventory # x-1666951293

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Religious Change and Continuity Across Generations: Passing on Faith in Families of Six European and North American Nations
• Publisher: Lexington Books
• Publication Date: 2024
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1666951293
• ISBN 13: 9781666951295
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: Brand New
• Weight: 0.5 kilograms

About this title

Synopsis

Religious Change and Continuity Across Generations: Passing on Faith in Families of Six European and North American Nations brings together scholars of religious studies, secularism, and family science to examine how religion is passed down the generations in six European and North American nations. Taking a social change perspective within the context of family socialization theory, the authors treat intergenerational change and continuity in religion and spirituality as occurring under specific national and historical conditions. As such, they consider the social forces that variously reinforce or inhibit transmission of religiosity across successive generations within families. The volume provides a nuanced view of the role that societal context plays in religious transitions and transformations. Chapters consider the strong influence of the Roman Catholic church in Italy, Communist suppression of religion in Hungary, aversion to religious discussions in Finland, the East-West/Catholic-Protestant divide in Germany, and rapid religious deculturation in Canada and the U.S. Further, each chapter takes a mixed-methods approach, using quantitative survey data to describe the strength and pattern of intergenerational transmission and interview data to clarify family dynamics by which parents, and ofttimes grandparents, influence the religious beliefs and practices of younger generations―taking care to consider how the absence of religion is also conveyed to the next generation.

About the Author

Merril Silverstein holds the Marjorie Cantor Chair in Aging Studies at Syracuse University where he is professor in the Departments of Sociology and Human Development and Family Science.

Christel Gärtner is a sociologist and mentor at the Graduate School and Cluster of Excellence in “Religion and Politics” at the University of Münster.

Maria T. Brown is associate research professor in Syracuse University’s School of Social Work and Aging Studies Institute.