Arnett, J. J., & Jensen, L. A. (2002) A Congregation of One: Individualised Religious Beliefs Among Emerging Adults. Journal of Adolescent Research, 17 (5): 451-467.
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Table of Contents
Brief Summary
The paper details out a study on 140 emerging adults religious beliefs. The data collection and analysis includes quantitative as well as qualitative methods. This is one of many papers that Arnett has focussed on in studying emerging adults, a life stage that he describes as a bridge between adolescence and young adulthood in industrialised societies.
Questions on Religious Beliefs
The study hypothesised that participants’ religious beliefs will be highly individualised, and will not be influenced by the religious beliefs of their parents, and childhood religious socialisation. The central questions about emerging adults that the study explored are: “What are their religious beliefs? How important a part does religion play in their lives? To what extent is their childhood religious socialisation related to their current beliefs? How do they view religious institutions?”
Data Analysis
The data gathered was analysed on the variable of age, gender, marital status, parenthood status, educational attainment, mother’s education, and father’s education. It was found that parents and religious institutions have little influence on the religious beliefs of emerging adults. The emphasis on
individualism in American society was visible in two ways: “viewing their independence from their parents’ beliefs as a good and necessary thing… An emphasis on individualism also underlies their rejection of religious institutions.”
Conclusions
The authors also question if emerging adults are likely to return to their religious institutions
beyond emerging adulthood, as is indicated by other studies. The study found that participants who are married and have children indicated higher religious participation. The study also showed that even though emerging adults were not involved in religious institutions, they were not uninterested in religious issues. Interviews revealed that they had given a lot of thought to religious concerns. Further, religious beliefs were important to many for whom religious participation was not.