Christian Parents More Engaged With Scripture
Parents in the United States are more likely than non-parents to consider themselves to be Christians and value scripture, the latest State of the Bible data from the American Bible Society found.
Among churchgoing parents, 91 percent of evangelical Protestants, 80 percent of those in historically black Protestant churches and 69 percent of Catholics say they feel supported by their congregations. The level of faith commitment also appears to play a role: Among practicing Christians who attend church, 92 percent say they feel supported, compared to 77 percent of casual Christians and 50 percent of nominal or non-Christians who attend church.
Churches should intentionally invest programs in helping parents
“Church leaders and fellow Christians need to intentionally invest in parents during this demanding season of life,” said John Farquhar Plake, the group’s chief innovation officer and editor-in-chief of the State of the Bible series. “With support from their church, these caregivers can establish life-giving rhythms of prayer and scripture engagement with their children, and in their own personal discipleship. Parents are carrying a heavy load, and all of us in the church can help them carry it.”
Although parents (46 percent) are less likely than non-parents (59 percent) to fall into the category of the Bible disengaged, they also are not more likely to be classified as Bible engaged (16 percent for parents vs. 18 percent for non-parents). Instead, parents are far more likely to fall within the movable middle, a category marked by an appreciation for the Bible and moderate interaction with it but without a disciplined commitment. That group includes 38 percent of parents, compared to 23 percent of non-parents.
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“We’ve already seen that work-family balance and fatigue sit at the top of parental frustrations,” the report said. “Perhaps some parents just don’t have time (or feel they don’t) for the personal and community disciplines involved ins scripture engagement.”
More than seven in 10 parents of children ages 2 to 5 say their kids enjoy attending church, while 66 percent of parents with children ages 6 to 12 and 61 percent of parents with teens ages 13 to 17 say the same.
“It’s delightful to see about two-thirds of these children liking their church experience, but we also take note of the trend line that extends well beyond childhood,” the report said. “Perhaps church leaders could start reversing the widely reported generational slide by starting early, creating robust opportunities for middle-schoolers and teens to engage more joyously with their faith, their church and the Bible.”
–Dwight Widaman
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