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Christianity's decline likely due to collapse of marriage, fatherhood: survey
Christian Post ^ | September 26, 2023 | Samantha Kamman

Posted on 09/26/2023 4:16:05 PM PDT by Morgana

WASHINGTON — Churches must work to restore healthy marriages and fatherhood to combat a growing decline in Christianity, according to a survey released by a faith-based group.

J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio, a nonprofit that equips churches to strengthen the marriage and relationship health of its members. On Monday, De Gance discussed the results of the Communio Nationwide Study on Faith and Relationships at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think-tank.

The conversation also featured Delano Squires, a research fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Richard and Helen DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family. The director of the DeVos Center for Life, Religion, and Family, Jay W. Richards, served as a moderator.

During his speech, De Gance said the study's results suggest that the decline in resident fatherhood and the collapse of marriage are likely explanations for the increase in religious non-affiliation throughout the United States.

The study’s conclusions are drawn from a nationwide survey completed by 19,000 attendees at 112 different churches across 13 different states. The survey also analyzed a variety of denominations, including Protestant and Catholic churches.

Overall, the survey found that 80% of church attendees grew up in a home where their mother and father stayed married, a trend that remained true regardless of age. In addition, 87% of all 25- to 29-year-old never-married men in church had parents who remained married.

“So what this means is folks in church on Sunday are categorically more likely to have grown up with a resident dad in the home than someone who is not in church on Sunday,” De Gance said, noting that the results are not “definitive,” as one in five people in church grew up without married parents.

“But it does make it less likely for those folks to show up on Sunday morning,” he said.

Presenting the data on the growth of non-religious affiliation, De Gance said the findings show that religious non-affiliation began to increase between 1986 and 1991 and then rapidly grew in the mid-90s. According to De Gance, this result makes sense, as the children who grew up in homes where their parents didn’t remain married became adults.

The Christian leader asserted that a “married dad” is the “missing ingredient now,” citing an Oxford University Press longitudinal study referenced in the Faith and Relationships study. The longitudinal study followed 3,000 adults and 350 families within a 40-year time frame.

One of the study’s most notable findings, according to De Gance, is that adults who reported a close relationship with their fathers were more likely to report having the same faith as their parents by 25 percentage points.

On the other hand, the study found that a closer relationship with their mother did not appear to have a statistical effect on whether an adult had the same faith as their parents.

De Gance referenced a book by Paul Vitz titled Faith of the Fatherless: The Psychology of Atheism, which analyzed 30 of the world’s most well-known atheists. Throughout the book, according to De Gance, there is a reoccurring theme of absentee fathers or broken relationships with a dad.

The Christian leader asserted that Christians should not find this information surprising, highlighting the Bible's allusions to marriage.

“The most common analogy that God tells for the divine love story is the spousal love story, right?” he asked.

“So, renewal, fundamentally, for those in the church interested in seeing a renewal of faith, need to see a renewal of marriage,” De Gance added. “Christian marriage is central to that.”

The Communio president contended that if churches can accomplish this, then they can also resolve the loneliness epidemic.

As the Faith and Relationships survey highlights, 50% of all adults in the United States are experiencing loneliness, while 22% of churchgoers are considered lonely. In addition, the survey noted that single churchgoers are more than three times more likely to be considered lonely compared to their married counterparts (15%).

The survey also addressed cohabitation, finding that the lifestyle is rare among regular church attendees; however, the study cited research that indicates a cohabitating man in his 30s (77%) is more likely to report that he is struggling in his relationship than a married man in the same age group.

A cohabitating man in church was 53% more likely to report that he was struggling in his relationship compared to a married man.

For cohabitating women, 73% were more likely to report struggling in their relationship compared to a married woman in church. As for women attending church while cohabitating, they were 87% more likely to report that they were struggling in their relationship than a cohabitating man in church.

After De Gance concluded his speech, Squires and Richards asked him questions before allowing the audience to do the same. At one point, De Gance clarified what he believes the church’s role should be in forming healthy relationships, emphasizing that it must teach kids what that looks like before they start dating.

According to the Faith and Relationships survey, 85% of all churches in the United States report spending $0 annually on marriage and relationship ministry.

In an interview with The Christian Post, De Gance explained how churches can reach adults who have already reached a point where they believe cohabitation is acceptable. De Gance encouraged spiritual leaders to educate themselves on the issue and the negative side effects of cohabitation, which research suggests leads to a higher risk of divorce.

“Once someone starts to understand that because that’s basically the choice [with cohabitation], then there can be a moment where you can actually inform them on the positive reasons why you would pursue marriage,” he told CP.

As the Communio president explained, when the nonprofit works with churches, it teaches ministries to adopt a “full-circle approach,” which includes teaching relationship skills to various age groups, as well as discernment in a relationship.

He also called it “sinful” for pastors to avoid the topic due to fears of creating controversy, highlighting the influence of family origins on faith and church affiliation.

“If we can’t help Christians form the kind of relationships that lead to lifelong marriages … if your concerns with the political hot buttons around this prevent you from doing this, you should probably get out of ministry.”


TOPICS: General Discusssion; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: christianity; fatherhood; marriage; poll
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I know pastors who have told me they build up their children's ministry in order to get the numbers up. I've wanted to say they are targeting the wrong group and need to target men/fathers but they honestly think children is where it's at.

I feel this story validates me. What do you all think?

1 posted on 09/26/2023 4:16:05 PM PDT by Morgana
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To: Morgana

Hey Sherlock…no sh&&! God intended one man one woman. Not 20 men, one woman. Or 4 men and one man and all the other disgusting BS.


2 posted on 09/26/2023 4:17:55 PM PDT by albie
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To: All

Churches got too wimpy on important issues since they don’t want to offend anyone. No one wants to wake up early on a Sunday and dress up to hear the same “feel good” stuff they can get on tv.


3 posted on 09/26/2023 4:18:15 PM PDT by escapefromboston (Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.)
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To: Morgana
Christianity's decline likely due to collapse of marriage, fatherhood: survey

And here I was thinking that the decline of marriage and fatherhood was due to the collapse of Christianity.
4 posted on 09/26/2023 4:19:34 PM PDT by Dr. Sivana ("If you can’t say something nice . . . say the Rosary." [Red Badger])
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To: Morgana

feminism, mass media, tv shows gloifying single motherhood. the lack of general stigma for people shacking up, the loss of bible study in public school. Madalyn ohare got her wish. the world is free, free to go to hell unimpeded by Jesus or real love.


5 posted on 09/26/2023 4:20:41 PM PDT by Ikeon (Dont like what you see? then look away. )
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To: Ikeon

thank that who#e Murphy Brown


6 posted on 09/26/2023 4:25:16 PM PDT by imabadboy99
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To: Morgana

Correct. We need more God fearing Men who respect women as their wives and the mothers of their children.


7 posted on 09/26/2023 4:26:27 PM PDT by frogjerk (More people have died trusting the government than not trusting the government.)
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To: Morgana

Many of them no longer follow the bible which means they have no meaning, and people stop going.


8 posted on 09/26/2023 4:29:23 PM PDT by Revel
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To: imabadboy99

It was going on before her


9 posted on 09/26/2023 4:35:33 PM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor. )
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To: imabadboy99

And remember how Dan Quayle was so severely attacked, for having the audacity to criticize a TV show which prominently featured a single mother?

After that you could probably count on one hand the number of politicians who would dare touch that subject.

There are certain things we’re not allowed to say in this country, and talking about single motherhood and whether it’s beneficial to have fathers , and the family structure — all of that are things you just are not allowed to speak about.

I should say we are allowed to talk about those sorts of things here on Free Republic, and thank God for our freedom of speech. But in the larger culture its a taboo subject.


10 posted on 09/26/2023 4:35:43 PM PDT by Dilbert San Diego (.)
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To: Revel

Half the churches I’ve posted about over the last 30 days? I wonder if I could find a Bible in the whole building if I ever attended! For real I should attend one of their wacky services just to see if I spot one.


11 posted on 09/26/2023 4:37:17 PM PDT by Morgana ( Always a bit of truth in dark humor. )
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To: Morgana

More reasons for Christianity’s decline:

Abuse Tracker

Daily guide to media coverage of clergy abuse worldwide, and especially in the US Roman Catholic church. More than 100,000 articles blogged since 2006.

https://www.bishop-accountability.org/


12 posted on 09/26/2023 4:41:47 PM PDT by Jyotishi (Seeking the truth, a fact at a time.)
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To: Morgana

Men are a very difficult group to recruit. Church is often seen as a women’s haven. My problem is so many Christian’s are more wretched than the other unchurched and hide behind grace to cover it.


13 posted on 09/26/2023 4:44:26 PM PDT by joesbucks (It's called love-bombing. Claiming he's saving the world. This is a cult. Just back away. )
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To: Morgana

I’ve wanted to say they are targeting the wrong group and need to target men/fathers . . .
______________________________
I agree with you. Our Lord is the Father and protector of the flock. If you take the father out of the equation you have chaos. Disciplined, responsible dads are essential to a healthy family unit. Whether it’s rearing young girls or boys, both dads and moms are what make the family - the divine formula for success.


14 posted on 09/26/2023 4:52:56 PM PDT by iontheball
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To: escapefromboston

They dont mind offending men. They are scared sh1tless of offending women. Just listen to the difference between the fathers day sermon and the mothers day sermon. Dad sucks, he has a ton of faults, bla bla bla, nothing realistic said about women, selfless angels all.


15 posted on 09/26/2023 4:57:05 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: Morgana

I agree.


16 posted on 09/26/2023 4:57:35 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: frogjerk

Amen!


17 posted on 09/26/2023 4:57:57 PM PDT by No name given (Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: Morgana

How about reminding women they entered into a binding contract til death? 80% of divorce filed by women for any reason, got bored, fell out of love, dom’t feel the same anymore, he paid off my pre-marriage debt for me so now I can go...


18 posted on 09/26/2023 4:59:08 PM PDT by Secret Agent Man (Gone Galt; not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: frogjerk
Correct. We need more God fearing Men who respect women as their wives and the mothers of their children.

Then don't we need more respectable women?

19 posted on 09/26/2023 5:01:44 PM PDT by cockroach_magoo (“Sure we’ll have Fascism here, but it will come as an anti-Fascism movement.”  - Huey Long)
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To: Jyotishi

Right because we all know that everything the media says is truth.


20 posted on 09/26/2023 5:02:30 PM PDT by Varda
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