Using data from the National Survey of Families and Households, he found that belief in both concepts is significantly higher (between 20 and 30 percentage points) among active Evangelical family men than among men with no religious affiliation.
We also see religion?s beneficial effect when it comes to fatherhood. Church-going fathers are more involved with their children ?They?re more affectionate, and they?re stricter with their kids,? Wilcox says. ?We can see, for instance, in youth-related activities that active Evangelical dads spend about 3.5 hours more per week compared to unaffiliated dads.?
Do these religious fathers do more housework than non-religious fathers? No, but the difference isn?t that great. And, Wilcox notes, ?wives of active Evangelical Protestants report higher levels of appreciation for their housework ? whereas wives of unaffiliated men report comparative low levels of appreciation.? Interesting, the wives of active Evangelical Protestants also report the lowest level of domestic violence (2.8 percent versus 3.2 percent).
Religion, in short, is a powerful influence for good within families, but why? Wilcox cites four reasons: For one thing, it provides key ?family-oriented rituals,? such as baptisms, that give fatherhood a religious character. Second, churches host activities that allow men to spend time with their families. Third, churches are often home to social networks that lend support at crucial times. Last, but certainly not least, is spirituality. As Wilcox puts it:
?There?s a sense that God is a part of their lives and gives emotional security to them. This is important because one of the key factors leading to marital problems and problems with parenting is stress. Things like unemployment, especially for men, or a death in the family can lead to poor parenting or poor marriage behaviors for men. If men can offer these problems up to God, God can provide them with a sense of security and direction in terms of how to deal with these things in a productive way.?
Amen. As I write in my book Home Invasion, fathers should add tangible spiritual elements to family life. This means taking your family to church, of course, because being active in a congregation grounds you in faith. But it also means bringing spirituality into your home. Play spiritual music. Incorporate grace into mealtimes. Institute regular family prayer and study. Talk about what you believe, why you believe it, and how it applies to your daily lives.
Dads, you know you can expect some nice gifts from your families when Father?s Day arrives on the 19th. And from homemade artwork to the inevitable tie, they will be things you treasure. But nothing compares to what you can give them all year long -- the gift of faith.