Research Reveals: Children of Divorce Often Less Religious than Children of Intact Marriages

 Posted on February 08, 2013 in Children

A new study has found that children raised in happy, intact marriages are much more likely to be religious later in life than children whose parents divorce, the Chicago Tribune reported on January 16.

Researchers hope that the results of the study will make pastors more aware of a common oversight that is one of the causes to the decline in mainline Christian denominations and religious affiliation in general. "Mainline (Protestant Christianity) has done very little and has largely trusted that as long as everybody gets along and keeps their conflicts down, things will be OK," according to Elizabeth Marquardt, an American studies professor at Lake Forest College. "We're really trying to upend that view."

In the study, Marquardt discovered many reasons that children of divorce may turn out less religious. For example, children sometimes felt they were not understood at church when their parents were splitting. Protestant churches depend on the future generations to secure their future and may have to come up with a protocol for couples who are about to separate. "Children of divorce are on the leading edge of the well-documented spiritual-but-not-religious movement," said Marquardt. "These are potential leaders. As we grapple with more and more people growing up without a married mom and dad, the church can make more sense of that."

Divorce can have long-lasting effects on you and your children. It is best to consult with an experienced divorce lawyer to ensure your divorce process goes smoothly for all parties concerned, especially the children. Contact a highly skilled divorce attorney in Illinois at your earliest convenience.