American Families of Faith

"In Malala Yousafzai’s, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, she wrote, “Once I had asked God for one or two extra inches in height, but instead he made me as tall as the sky, so high that I could not measure myself.” Malala’s words are not only inspiring but give insight into the perceived importance and relational nature of religiosity in adolescents. A national Pew Research Center survey found that the majority of youth in America say that religion is important to them. With this in mind, one may wonder how religious adolescents demonstrate their commitment to religion. What do they commit to in their day-to-day lives as a part of their religious identity?

"This essay conveys qualitative research from an article published in the Journal of Adolescent Research, coauthored by Emily Layton, David Dollahite, and Sam Hardy. The sample included 80 religiously diverse adolescents from highly religious families. They ranged in age from 10 to 21 years and lived in multiple areas of the United States. Throughout the interviews with these youth, seven “anchors of religious commitment” came to light: a) religious traditions, rituals, and laws; b) God; c) faith tradition or denomination; d) faith community members; e) parents; f) scriptures or sacred texts, and g) religious leaders."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "The Silent Revival: How Today’s Youth Anchor Their Faith," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on October 23, 2023.

In this article (Part 3/3 of this series on the empirical power of spiritual experience), I share some ways to think about spiritual experience and sacred experiences that I hope are helpful in strengthening your hope in eternal things. My hope is that the ideas and suggestions in this article will encourage and assist you in recording (e.g., in writing, audio, or video recording) your sacred personal experiences and describing your spiritual experience for the benefit of those you love.

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "Sacred Encounters: Glimpsing the Divine," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on October 23, 2023.

"In this article I share three sacred spiritual experiences the Lord blessed me with that have given me “reason for the hope” that I have in religious realities (1 Peter 3:15). I share three accounts about those experiences in the hope that these accounts will encourage faith and encourage you to record your own spiritual experience(s)."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "Sacred Encounters. Answered Prayers," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on October 6, 2023.

"Interest in exploring reasons for religious hope has become increasingly prevalent. Some readers might be seeking answers or guidance for loved ones who are undergoing religious questioning, doubting, or even experiencing a faith crisis. Others may be hoping for some spiritual inoculation against such serious religious doubts for themselves and those they love."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "The Empirical Power of Spiritual Experience," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on September 6, 2023.

"“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,”1 ranks as one of the most repeated verbatim command phrases in the Bible. We frequently forget, however, that this wisdom has two parts: loving our neighbors and loving ourselves. A central part of life’s journey includes finding a healthy balance or harmony between caring for ourselves (self-care) and engaging in acts of sacrifice to help others. For those who take their religion seriously, these choices often are often informed by their faith."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "When Loving Yourself Meets Loving Your Neighbor," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on September 25, 2023.

"In a landmark article on the power of negative experiences, Baumeister, Bratslavsky, Finkenauer, and Vohs (2001) demonstrated that across the clear majority of domains studied by psychologists (including relationship research), “bad is stronger than good.” Baumeister and colleagues found that “bad events will have longer lasting and more intense consequences than good events” (p. 325); that “single bad events are far stronger than even the strongest good ones” (p. 326); that “close relationships are more deeply and conclusively affected by destructive actions than by constructive ones” (p. 355); and that “Hardly any exceptions (indicating greater power of good) can be found” (p. 323).

"At the same time, a large and growing body of research has demonstrated that religion and spirituality, diversely measured, are associated with a wide range of benefits to individuals, couples, and families. Those benefits have been connected to the capacity of religious beliefs, practices, and communities to provide meaning, structure, and social support. If religion and spirituality can help, how does this help occur? Are religious and spiritual experiences part of the reason why religiosity and spirituality have been helpful?"

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "From Struggle to Strength: Adversity in Religious Families," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on August 16, 2023.

"For many immersed in 21st-century culture, the idea of repentance may be jarringly akin to “shaming,” guilt-tripping, or fear-based condemnation. These connotations suggest links to depression, anxiety, and relational struggles and strife.

"In sharp contrast, however, many of the roughly 200 wives and husbands we interviewed in our American Families of Faith project—people with religious and relational strengths—discussed repentance as personal transformative change that has strengthened or even saved their marriage, their parent-child relationships, or both. For them, repentance is not a dark night of the soul, but the dawn of a better day for them and their loved ones."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "The Power of Repentance to Help Relational Healing," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on October 22, 2025.

"Sociologist Roger Friedman recently wrote that we live in a world that is “an arena of warring gods.” From a social science perspective, those gods include the economic and political gods of money, fame, and power.

"Other “gods” include consumerism, pop icons, and football. Super Bowl Sunday features this trifecta in living color via a billion-dollar arena filled with worshippers of the church of the oval brown ball, with a rock and roll deity making an appearance at half time, while the television audience is regaled with multi-million dollar commercials urging us to give our cash offerings to a variety of companies. Indeed, in the words of Dave Ramsey, 'We spend money we don’t have, on things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like.'"

Loren Marks reads the article, "Prophets, the Proclamation, and the 'Arena of Warring Gods,'" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on May 20, 2024.

"Today’s society is experiencing epidemics of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Even so, positive psychology and the Abrahamic religions both exhort that the virtue of hope has the potential to help people dealing with a wide range of challenges."

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Growing Famine of Hope" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on April 29, 2024.

"Charlotte Brontë is renowned for her beloved classic Jane Eyre, but in her lesser-known novel Shirley, she offered valuable insight into the noble quality of gratitude when she wrote:

I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.

Our recent research as social scientists indicates that for many, “Gratitude is a divine emotion.” Although we did not ask directly about gratitude, many participants spontaneously discussed gratitude in their spiritual lives and their relationships. "

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Hidden Power of 'Thank You' " which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on March 8, 2024.

"A close friend (a younger male professor at another university) has permitted us to share this opening story anonymously: The strikingly attractive female student entered my office, closed the door behind her, and then moved far too close to me, almost pinning me against my desk. She put her lips inches from my face and gave me a “kiss me” look. Several seconds passed. The young beauty stepped back and paused for several more seconds. She then said, 'My Dad just left my Mom for a younger woman. I had to find out if all men are like him or if there is still hope.'

"Much has been written about the swelling “faith crisis” and “The Rise of the Nones”—a loss of religious faith, particularly among emerging adults. But there is another faith crisis among those coming of age that may be just as vital to address: Can an imperfect wife and an imperfect husband be faithful to each other? Is it possible to obtain, maintain, protect, and polish the elusive gem of complete marital fidelity across time?"

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Other Faith Crisis: Shattering Illusions Around Marital Fidelity" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on June 14, 2023.

"For many individuals and families, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered family life. In some ways, these changes have been unsettling or even tragic.

"One jarring effect COVID has had on family relationships is the disruption of previous family routines and rituals. In the words of COVID researcher Heather Prime, families have been impacted by these changes in routines and rituals 'on a magnitude likely not seen since World War II.'

"We do not for a moment equate World War II’s effects with those of COVID. “An estimated total of 70–85 million people perished [in World War II] … about 3% of the 1940 world population,” while 5.6 million have died from the COVID-19 outbreak as of January 22, 2022 (or about three-quarters of 1% of the 2020 world population).

"While the COVID death toll does not approach that of World War II, Prime may still be correct in identifying COVID as the greatest global disrupter of families 'since World War II.' "

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "How Spiritual Practices Helped Families Amidst Shifting Dynamics" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on May 10, 2023.

"Imagine yourself, several years from now, having a conversation with your five-year-old child or grandchild. They look up at you with shining eyes and ask,

'[Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa], what was it like in 2020?'

Wow, what a loaded question.

What would your reaction be? How would you respond? Would you tell them about the natural disasters and the political tension? Would you joke about the toilet paper shortage and the empty shelves at the grocery store? Would you share the fears and worries you faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

As you rattle on about the complexities of 2020, your child/grandchild interrupts you and asks, 'But wasn’t there anything good that happened during COVID?'

This question is the same one we pose to you."

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "How Many Religious Families Thrived During COVID" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on April 12, 2023.

"When people throughout the world experienced the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated shutdowns, the well-known expression “a family that eats together, stays together” was flipped for many families. The family that stayed together, ate together was a common occurrence as people experienced various levels of stay-in-place mandates. Most individuals and families were no longer rushing from one activity to the next, grabbing a quick fast-food meal on the way, or even working long shifts outside the home. With less intense schedules, many families were sharing an increased number of meals at home together. Multiple studies conducted over the past twenty years, including several by leading family meals scholar Barbara Fiese, have found that families who eat meals together several times a week are positively impacted physically, emotionally, relationally, and mentally. In particular, a long list of benefits is attributed to children and teens: including better academic performance, higher self-esteem, a greater sense of resilience, lower risk of substance abuse, lower risk of depression, and lower rates of obesity (e.g., Armstrong-Carter & Telzer, 2020; Fiese et al., 2012). The positive influences of regular family dinners are diverse and significant. Did the previously known benefits of family meals apply to families living through the stress and negative aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic?"

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "The Secret Power of Sharing Meals Together" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on March 15, 2023.

"Few single events in human history have affected a significant majority of people on earth—the COVID-19 pandemic is one of those widely shared experiences. Nearly all individuals and families experienced various levels of stay-in-place mandates, significant trials, and/or heartbreaking losses. As families hunkered down in their homes during the early days of the pandemic, family communication was often stretched and tested in new ways."

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "Did COVID Strengthen Family Communication?" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on February 15, 2023.

"For more than two decades, we have studied the stories, challenges, and triumphs of racially and religiously diverse marriage-based families who have been identified by their clergy as “exemplary.” Since 2001, our American Families of Faith Research Project has explored and shared various secrets of success revealed by these families in numerous articles and three books. Our latest book, Home-Centered Gospel Learning, and Living: Seeking Greater Personal Revelation, is the first written expressly to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The book was “inspired by several challenges from President Russell M. Nelson—challenges that have included seeking to ‘come, follow’ the Savior, to ‘hear Him,’ to become ‘exemplary Latter-day Saints,’ and to ‘diligently work to remodel [our] home into a center of gospel learning.’”

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Power of Home-Centered Gospel Learning" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on January 17, 2023.

"A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, contains a wealth of wisdom in human character and transformation. Newfound generosity, empathy, and compassion emerge as delightful Christmas gifts following Ebenezer Scrooge’s transformation—along with one easily overlooked virtue: humility. Before his eventful night begins, Scrooge is full of pride and self-interest. By the time morning light breaks, he is jumping from bed in order to humbly respect, serve, and connect with the people in his life. He transforms from a lonely and arrogant man to someone who humbly cherishes his relationships with “the least of [his] brethren” (i.e., “Tiny Tim” Cratchit).

"As nice as it would be to find our own transformation in a one-night fantastical journey into our past, for most of us, the change happens more gradually and without so much obvious hand-holding from ghosts. Albeit far less dramatic, many have found the sincere observance of religious rituals and practices equally transformative in their ultimate impact on our souls."

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "It Doesn’t Take Life-Changing Drama to Find Humility" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on November 21, 2022.

"In a memorable address entitled Beware of Pride, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and religious leader President Ezra Taft Benson stated, “Pride adversely affects all our relationships—our relationship with God and His servants, between husband and wife, parent and child.” In what follows, we explore more closely the evidence in family narratives that demonstrates the healing force of humility to combat the stumbling block of pride in parent-child relationships."

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "The Healing Power of Humility in Parent-Child Relationships" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on October 6, 2022.

"Despite what many adults and social scientists think, youth and young adults are very interested in talking with their parents about spiritual and religious matters. As part of our American Families of Faith project, we interviewed parents and youth from various denominations across the United States to discover what’s happening in our conversations with youth and how we can improve those conversations."

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "How Can I Talk to My Teens About Religion?" which was originally published in Liahona in March of 2022.

In this episode, we share some of our expereinces when attending religious services of various faiths. We discuss what we appreciated, enjoyed, and learned from those experiences. We have come to expect that when we go and participate in another faith's worship, the experience is well worth it and are always glad to have gone.

This podcast features conversations about faith and family life between the Co-directors of the American Families of Faith project (https://americanfamiliesoffaith.byu.edu/) Dr. David Dollahite and Dr. Loren Marks. This podcast is edited, syndicated, and marketed by Laura McKeighen, the Outreach Director for the American Families of Faith project.

If you’d like more insight into how religious families draw on their spiritual beliefs to strengthen their marital relationships and parenting, check out our public scholarship articles at Public Square Magazine.