Religion and Families
This is the first multidisciplinary text to address the growing scholarly connection between religion and family life. The latest literature from family studies, psychology, sociology, and religion is reviewed along with narratives drawn from interviews with 200 racially, religiously, and regionally diverse families that bring the concepts to life. Written in a thought-provoking, accessible, and sometimes humorous style by two of the leading researchers in the field, the book reflects the authors firsthand experience in teaching todays students about religions impact on families. Prior to writing the book, the authors read the sacred texts of many faiths, interviewed religious leaders, and attended religious services for a wide array of faiths. The result is an accurate and engaging account of why and how families are impacted by their religion. The pedagogical features of the text include boldfaced key terms defined in the glossary, text boxes, chapter conclusions, summary points, and review questions.
Religion and Families:
- Examines several denominations within Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.
- Reviews findings from racially and ethnically diverse families, as well as from traditional and diverse family forms, and examines gender and life-course issues.
- Addresses the impact of ones religious involvement on longevity, divorce rates, and parenting styles.
- Considers demographic, family-, couple-, and individual-level data that relate to prayer and other sacred practices.
- Presents a balanced treatment of the latest research and a new model for studying family and religion.
- Explores the whys, hows, and processes at work in the religion-family connection.
Intended as a text for undergraduate courses in family and religion, the psychology or sociology of the family, the psychology or sociology of religion, pastoral/biblical counseling, or family and youth ministry, taught in human development and family studies, psychology, sociology, religion, social work, pastoral counseling, and sometimes philosophy. This text will also appeal to family therapists and counselors.
Loren D. Marks is a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University and co-director of the American Families of Faith research project.
David C. Dollahite is a professor in the School of Family Life at Brigham Young University and co-director of the American Families of Faith research project.
Textbooks in Family Studies Series
The Textbooks in Family Studies Series is an interdisciplinary series that offers cutting-edge textbooks in family studies and family psychology. Volumes can be complete textbooks and/or supplementary texts for the undergraduate and/or graduate markets. Both authored and edited volumes are welcome. Please contact the series editor, Robert Milardo, at rhd360@maine.edu for details in preparing a proposal that should include the goal of the book, the table of contents, an overview of competing texts, the intended market including course name(s) and level, and suggested reviewers.
These are the books currently in the series:
Father-Daughter Relationships: Contemporary Research and Issues
written by Linda Nielsen (2012)
Stepfamilies: A Global Perspective on Research, Policy and Practice
written by Jan Pryor (2014)
Serving Military Families: Theories, Research, and Application, Second Edition
written by Karen Rose Blaisure, Tara Saathoff-Wells, Angela Pereira, Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, and Amy Laura Dombro (2016)
Evidence-based Approaches to Relationship and Marriage Education
edited by James J. Ponzetti, Jr. (2016)
Evidence-based Parenting Education: A Global Perspective
edited by James J. Ponzetti, Jr. (2016)
Evidence-based Approaches to Sexuality Education: A Global Perspective
edited by James J. Ponzetti, Jr. (2016)
First published 2017
by Routledge
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and by Routledge
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Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business
2017 Taylor & Francis
The right of Loren D. Marks and David C. Dollahite to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Marks, Loren Dean, author. | Dollahite, David C. (David Curtis),
author.
Title: Religion and families : an introduction / Loren D. Marks,
David C. Dollahite.
Description: New York, NY : Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis
Group, an Informa Business, [2017] | Series: Texbooks in family studies |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016019571| ISBN 9781848725454 (hardback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9781848725461 (pbk. : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781315814599 (ebk)
Subjects: LCSH: FamiliesReligious life. | MarriageReligious aspects. |
ParentingReligious life. | Religion.
Classification: LCC BL625.6 .M37 2017 | DDC 201/.7dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016019571
ISBN: 978-1-84872-545-4 (hbk)
ISBN: 978-1-84872-546-1 (pbk)
ISBN: 978-1-315-81459-9 (ebk)
Typeset in Avenir and Dante
by ApexCovantage, LLC
For far too long we have been without a comprehensive, evidence-based textbook on religion and families. Loren Marks and David Dollahite have expertly crafted a book that deftly addresses important issues of faith and religious practices and their connection to family outcomes. In the 13 chapters that make up Religion and Families , the authors address core matters of religious beliefs and practices and their connection to individual and family well-being, to the character and consequence of parent-child relationships, and to the influence of faith communities. They provide us with an innovative model of how these core issues are connected and where we should look to improve our understanding of family relationships and what helps them flourish. Wisely the authors consider potentially controversial issues such as the possibility of religious beliefs as source of harm in marriage and parental relationships. They add discussion of a broad range of beliefs in a variety of faiths, for instance by addressing issues of faith among Jews and Muslims, and in this way consider issues of diversity in religious beliefs and practices with their consequent outcomes for families. They end the book with a chapter on forgiveness, which in many ways becomes a signature of one of the books many strengths, a clear focus on important questions, both moral and empirical, and how the social science of family relationships adds to our understanding. In considering these issues we become better, more informed students and, perhaps, more informed citizens and family members.
