A large majority of Americans say their mother’s faith impacted their own faith, with more than six in 10 saying their own religion is the same as their mom’s religion when they were a child.
The new data is part of the American Bible Society’s State of the Bible report.
The report said, “The major finding is that a clear majority of Americans still follow ‘the faith of their mothers. The data verify the importance of parental guidance in spiritual development. It then quoted Proverbs 22:6 – ‘Teach children how they should live, and they will remember it all their life’”.
Only 26 percent of Americans who identify as atheist, agnostic or “nones” say their non-religious beliefs are the same as their moms’.
Meanwhile, the faith of today’s moms has been dramatically impacted by the pandemic, according to the report. In 2020, prior to the pandemic, 33 percent of American women with children in the home were categorized as “Scripture engaged” by the American Bible Society. But that number fell to 27 percent in 2021 and then to 15 percent in the 2022 report.
ABS defines “Scripture engaged” as a “consistent interaction with the Bible” that shapes a person’s choices and transforms their “relationships with God, self, and others.”
The report suggests the disruption in schedules and massive adjustments to home life due to the pandemic caused the downturn.