Devout Christians boast great family lives. Lukewarm ones? Not so much
For the last several decades, much sociological focus has been devoted to the religious “Nones,” or those who do not affiliate with a religion. This includes atheists, agnostics, or those who claim “nothing in particular,” a collective group that has been rising steadily in America since the early 1990s. There has been great attention to this topic, both in the academic literature and in the popular press, for good reason. Even aside from a loss of faith, non-religious people tend to have lower social support and worse psychological well-being.
TL;DR
- Nominal Protestants report lower marital satisfaction, stability, and sexual satisfaction compared to regular churchgoers and even religious 'Nones'.
- Despite lower self-reported marital happiness, nominal Protestants are more likely to be married, have children, and engage in weekly sex than 'Nones'.
- Divorce may lead to nominal affiliation, rather than nominal affiliation causing divorce, as individuals may withdraw from religious communities after marital breakdown.
- A strong link exists between faith values and marital stability, with regular churchgoers exhibiting the strongest marital outcomes.
- Nominal affiliates, those who identify with a religion but do not actively practice, may warrant increased sociological and community support.