American Families of Faith

"In December, articles and blogs address various aspects of Christmas. We would like to address another important December event for members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints—tithing settlement. While few people have as many positive nostalgic memories of tithing settlement as they do of Christmas, there are profound spiritual aspects of tithing as a way of giving back to God in g...

"The research . . . suggests evidence-based best practices for effectively integrating faith and family life, including religious-spiritual authenticity, nurturing parent-child relationships, balancing religious firmness and flexibility, and encouraging youth to have spiritual experiences, sacrifice meaningfully, and pray earnestly—all while parents preach a bit less and listen a bit more."   Davi...

"Over the past 25 years, we have interviewed more than 300 diverse fathers about the challenges and blessings of striving to be a faithful father. From thousands of pages of transcriptions and field notes we have gleaned 10 insights that have left us pondering the world’s most profound job: that of parent."   Loren Marks reads the article, "Faithful Fathering: Ten Narratives of Wisdom from Fathers...

"In reference to those of different faiths, President Gordon B. Hinckley said, “Look for their strengths and their virtues, and you will find strength and virtues that will be helpful in your own life.” In striving to live a good, faithful life and foster loving family relationships in an ever-changing world, there is indeed much strength and virtue that we can gain from our Jewish friends and the...

"[We asked religious Christian, Muslim, and Jewish parents of adolescents], “What do you consider to be the most important things for you to be or do as a mother/father of faith?” [We found] that both mothers and fathers have similar desires to be good examples. Mothers and fathers of faith both reportedly rely on their religion to show them what (and how) they should try to be. Parents reportedly...

"We’ve all heard that familiar saying, “the family that prays together, stays together.” How does the nature and experience of family prayer create strong families? What can we learn from families that pray together?" David Dollahite reads the article, "Family Prayer: A Sacred Time and A Sacred Space – Findings from a National Study" which was originally published in Meridian Magazine on March 24,...

"Drawing from the diverse families who taught us, we explore, explain, and illustrate why sacred family rituals matter, with the hope that your family and ours will more effectively harness this power in our own homes and families." Loren Marks reads the article, "The Abiding Power of Sacred Family Rituals" which was originally published in Meridian Magazine on August 16, 2018.

"When Father’s Day rolls around each year, we think about what to get dad—what gift to offer our father. Advertisements abound for the perfect gift: a cool tie; something related to his favorite hobby; a barbeque so he can grill up burgers and steaks; and many others. Those kinds of gifts are fine. But I want to suggest something different." David Dollahite reads the article, "A Meaningful Gift fo...

“What does the practice of hijab (or veiling) mean to Muslims in the United States? ...In a spirit of fostering awareness, understanding, and respect for those of another faith, we share with you what our interview participants themselves entrusted to us, in their own voices." Loren Marks reads the article, "Behind the Veil: Meanings of Hijab for Muslim Wives and Husbands in the United States" whi...

"More than 100 years after family home evening was conceived, it has taken on new relevance in a modern, fast-paced culture. ... [interview participants] routinely brought up the difficulties of maintaining familial closeness as technology and media have hastened the pace of life." David Dollahite reads the article, "Mormons’ Weekly Family Ritual Is an Antidote to Fast-Paced Living" which was orig...

"We have gleaned 10 one-liners that have left us pondering the world’s most profound job: that of parent. " Loren Marks reads the article, "Living Into Fatherhood" which was originally published in RealClearReligion on June 15, 2018.

"As people abandon religious institutions, they start expecting romantic relationships to satisfy a host of needs that formerly were satisfied through religion." David Dollahite reads the article, "The Burdensome Myth of Romantic Love" which was originally published in First Things on February 14, 2018.

"Religion both generates and helps with what we call relational struggles in families. ...In this article, we investigate...the first half of this duality—that religion is associated with (and may even create) several relational struggles and problems when we do not live our faith out wisely." Loren Marks reads the article, "Understanding the Relationship Struggles in Religious Households" which w...

"Youth and young adults are very interested in talking with their parents about spiritual and religious matters—especially if parents are willing to actually have a conversation rather than another “parent-preaching” session." David Dollahite reads the article, "How to Have a Positive Religious Conversation with Your Youth" which was originally published in Meridian Magazine on January 23, 2018.

Seven Jewish-inspired ideas to help us more fully delight in the Sabbath. Loren Marks reads the article, "Making the Sabbath a Delight: Seven Lessons from Strong Jewish Families" which was originally published in Meridian Magazine on February 20, 2018.

"The Lord views Sabbath observance as a path toward spiritual joy and pleasure and He desires for us to approach Sabbath observance with an attitude of delightful enjoyment. [We] can learn from our Jewish friends about how to make the Sabbath a delight by together choosing ways to make it special, joyous, spiritual and peaceful." David Dollahite reads the article, "Sabbath Observance: Families Can...

In this episode, we introduce ourselves to our listeners. We are a couple of guys who grew up in California and Oregon and are now professors of family life at Brigham Young University. We study how couples and families from many faiths draw on their religious beliefs, spiritual practices, and faith communities to strengthen their marriage and family life. This podcast features conversations about...

In this episode, we discuss the general life strengths, marital strengths, and parenting strengths of Muslim families. Our experience was that many of the families who shared their homes and stories with us were of a quality of character that any neighborhood or nation might welcome. Their relationships seemed structured but strong; hierarchical but warm. For many of these families, actively livin...

In this episode, we discuss the general life strengths, marital strengths, and parenting strengths of  Mainline Protestant families. For some Mainline Protestant believers, God's relationship with them serves as a model for their relationships with their spouses and children. In addition to giving meaning to their lives and providing a unique set of tools and resources to draw from, Mainline Prote...

In this episode, we discuss the general life strengths, marital strengths, and parenting strengths of families in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For Latter-day Saint families, the doctrine that marriage and family life can be perpetuated beyond the grave is a central part of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. This eternal nature of the family is a key component driving family r...

In this episode, we discuss the general life strengths, marital strengths, and parenting strengths of Evangelical Christian families. These families perceive that hallmarks of Evangelical Christian faith such as reliance on Holy Scripture and a personal relationship with God are foundational for building and maintaining healthy relationships. This podcast features conversations about faith and fam...

In this episode, we discuss the general life strengths, marital strengths, and parenting strengths of Catholic and Orthodox Christian families. For many of these families, their religious faith is a source of comfort and strength as they seek personal growth and interact with family members and others in society. At the core of the transformative influence of faith in the family lives of Catholics...

In this episode, we discuss the general life strengths, marital strengths, and parenting strengths of Asian American Christian families. For many of these families, their religious beliefs, practices, and faith community play a significant role in the complex and interrelated process of religious, cultural, and familial adaptation and acculturation. Asian American Christian families live a life wh...

In this episode, we discuss how religious thinking and acting is important to understand on its own terms and not simply as merely psychological or sociological in nature. Compared with most of the other episodes of this podcast, this one is unique in that it focuses on some very big ideas about understanding and exploring religion from a social science perspective but in ways that are true to rel...

In this episode, we briefly share the unique strengths of seven of the religious-ethnic communities featured throughout this podcast. We reflect on our experiences of learning from many exemplar families and find ourselves experiencing both deep respect and holy envy.  This podcast features conversations about faith and family life between the Co-directors of the American Families of Faith project...