Churches must work to restore healthy marriages and fatherhood to combat a growing decline in Christianity, according to a survey released by the faith-based group, Communio.
J.P. De Gance is the founder and president of Communio. He 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.
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.
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.
According to De Gance, quote, “Those in the church interested in seeing a renewal of faith, need to see a renewal of marriage.”
He asserted that Christians should not find this information surprising, highlighting the Bible’s allusions to marriage.
De Gance pointed out, “The most common analogy that God tells for the divine love story is the spousal love story. “
“So, renewal, fundamentally, for those in the church interested in seeing a renewal of faith, need to see a renewal of marriage.”