Passing down religious faith to our children

[Matthias]

“While mental health concerns top the list of worries for parents today, and studies suggest religion is good for mental health, passing on their religious beliefs to their children is not highly prioritized by U.S. adults with children younger than 18, new data from the Pew Research Center show. …”

Only a minority of parents emphasize passing on their faith to children: study

While mental health concerns top the list of worries for parents today, and studies suggest religion is good for mental health, passing on their religious beliefs to their children is not highly ...

www.christianpost.com

 

[Mr E]

“While mental health concerns top the list of worries for parents today, and studies suggest religion is good for mental health, passing on their religious beliefs to their children is not highly prioritized by U.S. adults with children younger than 18, new data from the Pew Research Center show. …”

Only a minority of parents emphasize passing on their faith to children: study

While mental health concerns top the list of worries for parents today, and studies suggest religion is good for mental health, passing on their religious beliefs to their children is not highly ...

www.christianpost.com

Makes me wonder how they define Evangelical, versus Protestant.

--white Evangelicals and black Protestants are the only two Christian groups where a majority of parents prioritize this.

Then they break it down even further...

Some 70% of white Evangelical parents and 53% of black Protestants said it is important that their children share their religious beliefs. Among white non-Evangelical Protestants that figure is only 29%, while only 35% of Catholic parents say this.

Presumably- you have:
White Evangelicals
White Protestants
White Non-Evangelical Protestants
Black Protestants
Catholics

Without knowing how they make these distinctions, the study is weakened. One thing we know from this and linked studies is that many (perhaps MOST) people are less likely to identify themselves by these categories that they consider 'religious' distinctions. They are open to spirituality, but no longer bound by denominational constraints, which they increasingly resist and do not want to be defined by in this manner.

"Though religious affiliation and church attendance continue to decline, spiritual openness and curiosity are on the rise. Across every generation, in fact, we see an unprecedented desire to grow spiritually, a belief in a spiritual/supernatural dimension and a belief in God or a higher power."

Maybe the Pew Study is just asking the wrong questions. I wanted my kids to 'inherit' a spiritual curiosity and thirst for truth, but I didn't at all want them pounded like square pegs into round holes when it comes to religiosity of the kind I had to essentially overcome. Really silly, quite stupid ideas that came part and parcel with my Evangelical upbringing in a church.

 

[Matthias]

On one hand, it’s tragic that parents don’t pass their religious faith down to their children.

But on the other hand, it’s often fortuitous for their children that they don’t.

 

[MatthewG]

I’m glad I wasn’t really raised learning Christian traditions.

My mom allowed me to live life as I chose fit for myself which caused her grief sometimes.

Luckily she was a wise person even so by the spirit of Christ in here.

I would allow my children the same privilege. I never had a dad either.

But the Father in heaven has been good to me.

 

[Mr E]

I’m glad I wasn’t really raised learning Christian traditions.

My mom allowed me to live life as I chose fit for myself which caused her grief sometimes.

Luckily she was a wise person even so by the spirit of Christ in here.

I would allow my children the same privilege. I never had a dad either.

But the Father in heaven has been good to me.

I was asked once, by a beautiful friend.... if we were forced out into the wild, who has the advantage. One will all the traditions and scriptures, or someone with nothing at all?

I immediately thought that it would be the one with all that knowledge-- but it's not. He is burdened by what he has been taught, by what he thinks and believes and he has to overcome all of these ideas in order to meet the mystery. The other man is traveling light and has no such encumbrances.

 

[Patrick1966]

Makes me wonder how they define Evangelical

Honestly, I don't know how to define what is an "Evangelical". What's the difference between that and simply being a Christian? If one teaches others about Jesus, does that render them an "Evangelical"?

 

[Matthias]

Honestly, I don't know how to define what is an "Evangelical". What's the difference between that and simply being a Christian? If one teaches others about Jesus, does that render them an "Evangelical"?

One belongs to the NAE and the other doesn’t?

What is an Evangelical? | National Association of Evangelicals

Evangelicals take the Bible seriously and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The term “evangelical” comes from the Greek word euangelion, meaning “the good news” or the “gospel.” Thus, the evangelical faith focuses on the “good news” of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ.

www.nae.org

 

[Matthias]

I was asked once, by a beautiful friend.... if we were forced out into the wild, who has the advantage. One will all the traditions and scriptures, or someone with nothing at all?

I immediately thought that it would be the one with all that knowledge-- but it's not. He is burdened by what he has been taught, by what he thinks and believes and he has to overcome all of these ideas in order to meet the mystery. The other man is traveling light and has no such encumbrances.

An episode of Naked and Afraid?

 

[Patrick1966]

One belongs to the NAE and the other doesn’t?

What is an Evangelical? | National Association of Evangelicals

Evangelicals take the Bible seriously and believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The term “evangelical” comes from the Greek word euangelion, meaning “the good news” or the “gospel.” Thus, the evangelical faith focuses on the “good news” of salvation brought to sinners by Jesus Christ.

www.nae.org

So that's it?

 

[Matthias]

So that's it?

In my experience, the term is nebulous.

 

[MatthewG]

 

[Matthias]

Jesus preached the good news.

Billy doesn’t sound like Jesus.

 

[MatthewG]

That’s evangelical stand point, @Matthias .

But once you have faith in Jesus along with the death, burial and resurrection. That is not all there is to the walk of faith. There is growing in Christ to go on too; growing from being a babe to a son or daughter of God.

 

[Mr E]

So that's it?

Mostly meaningless distinctions in my opinion. Can’t be Evangelical without being Protestant (if you ask any Evangelical) but why couldn’t you have an Evangelical Catholic believer?

I was raised in the Evangelical Free Curch, but it wasn’t free of Evangelicals. It was full of them!

Come to think of it, they also passed the collection plate. These are truly confusing terms!

 

[Matthias]

That’s evangelical stand point, @Matthias .

I was raised Southern Baptist.

But once you have faith in Jesus along with the death, burial and resurrection. That is not all there is to the walk of faith. There is growing in Christ to do.

There is more to the gospel than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Faith in Jesus can’t be separated from what Jesus preached. They didn’t tell me that in the SBC.

My parents didn’t pass down their religious faith to me. My grandparents passed down their religious faith to me. Would it have been better for me if they hadn’t? Possibly.

 

[MatthewG]

I was raised Southern Baptist.



There is more to the gospel than the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Faith in Jesus can’t be separated from what Jesus preached.

My parents didn’t pass down their religious faith to me. My grandparents passed down their religious faith to me. Would it have been better for me if they hadn’t?

For some I don’t think it matters.

It just ultimately depends on the person if they are seeking for truth or not from just what people say from a pulpit and read and study the Bible for themselves.

As mre said people can be drenched in the traditional teachings of what man says rather than what the Bible in whole and context actually puts forth.

Traditions of man is something Jesus doesn’t speak highly about. As it tends to keep people in bondage; he came to free those in bondage and in prison from the lies man and of the world.

 

[Matthias]

For some I don’t think it matters.

It just ultimately depends on the person if they are seeking for truth or not from just what people say from a pulpit and read and study the Bible for themselves.

As mre said people can be drenched in the traditional teachings of what man says rather than what the Bible in whole and context actually puts forth.

Traditions of man is something Jesus doesn’t speak highly about. As it tends to keep people in bondage; he came to free those in bondage and in prison from the lies man and of the world.

Does the Bible leave you with an impression, one way or the other, concerning God expecting parents to teach their religious faith to their children?

 

[MatthewG]

Does the Bible leave you with an impression, one way or the other, concerning God expecting parents to teach their religious faith to their children?

As someone who is not a parent. And who was never heavily burden to go to church, to dress a certain way, or to act a certain way.

I don’t think it’s wrong to teach a child about God who is about the total freedom to choose and he love’s unconditionally. And to bring up a child in wisdom at least to learn and discern things is not wrong either.

Just don’t make them mad in the sense of burdening them with to much weight to carry.

What do you think?

 

[Matthias]

As someone who is not a parent. And who was never heavily burden to go to church, to dress a certain way, or to act a certain way.

I don’t think it’s wrong to teach a child about God who is about the total freedom to choose and he love’s unconditionally. And to bring up a child in wisdom at least to learn and discern things is not wrong either.

Just don’t make them mad in the sense of burdening them with to much weight to carry.

What do you think?

I think God expects parents to teach the faith to their children and Christianity has done a very poor job of equipping parents to do it.

 

[Stan B]

On one hand, it’s tragic that parents don’t pass their religious faith down to their children.

But on the other hand, it’s often fortuitous for their children that they don’t.

Destiny is chosen by their father:

He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished; He will visit the iniquity of the fathers on their children and grandchildren to the thirdand fourth generations.” Ex 34

17But from everlasting toeverlasting the loving devotion of the LORD extends to those who fear Him,and His righteousness to their children’schildren— psalm 103