Jul 02 2008
Study Shows Christianity Makes Men Better Husbands and Fathers?
In a research brief this month, Bradford Wilcox, a sociology professor at the University of Virginia, analyzed three national studies in order to discover if “there is any evidence that religion is playing a role in encouraging a strong family orientation among contemporary American men?” His research led him to conclude that men who regularly attend Christian services are engaged in happier and stronger marriages and are more involved in the lives of their children than men who do not.
“70 percent of husbands who attend church regularly report they are ‘very happy’ in their marriages, compared to 59 percent of husbands who rarely or never attend church,” explained Wilcox, who also said that the studies indicated that wives experienced more marital happiness when their husbands attended regular religious services.
This is likely one significant reason why the studies showed that married couples who attended regular Christian services were approximately 35 percent less likely to divorce then those couples who did not.
Read more here.
[From me]
Stats don’t tell the whole story. I don’t think it is church or Christianity that makes men better fathers. It is a relationship with God. No training or family can prepare you for parenthood. I think what that stats don’t tell you is how much prayer, Bible Study, fellowship, mentoring, discipleship and the Grace of God are in play.
What do you think?
9 responses so far
This is a sample size of one, but I can attest that I am a much, much better father than I would have been if I had not been a Christian. I became a believer around the time my first child was born and I thank God for that.
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I’m not sure I understand your summary Kevin. You said, “I don’t think it is church or Christianity that makes men better fathers. It is a relationship with God.”
I think I have an idea what you are saying, but care should be exercised in that response. You see, some will say that they have a relationship with God, but it is not the God of the Bible, Jehovah God, the Father of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.
I think you are correct in that the church doesn’t make us a better father, it is a relationship with our Savior and Lord that makes us a better parent.
After that relationship, church does play an important part, as we learn more about discipleship, prayer, Bible study, mentoring, fellowshiping, etc.
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Adding to Steve… in some ways, I’d say the Church–that being the body of Christ (fellow believers) does and is supposed to make men better and better fathers because of the influence of the men in that body upon each other. Their relationship with Christ changes them, and Christ uses them to change each other. It’s part of the Iron Sharpening Iron principle. The men are not the source of the change and improvement, but are instruments God uses to, in some ways, accomplish to it
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They are probably counting the mormons in the study. Those guys are all great husbands and fathers. I have no idea how they do it, but they all have perfect families.
I think Kevin is correct in his answer, and if all the things he mentioned are being done, there will be a right relationship with the Christ of the Bible.
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K: I think it all works together. The relationship to God (the One in the Bible) and the relationship to the church. If we are being the church beyond the walls as we are supposed to be then we will lives as Christ-followers that our children will want to copy. But we also should receive a ton of help from the church in our efforts.
And Hugh: I think I know what you mean but “perfect” is a strain for me.
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I’m not saying the church doesn’t help. But it isn’t church that makes people better parents–it is God. The church is an instrument God uses. But God changes lives not any institution.
Kevin Bussey’s last blog post..Study Shows Christianity Makes Men Better Husbands and Fathers?
Right on, Kevin! It is a relationship with God that makes the difference.
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This is a no-brainer, and now there is evidence of it. The Bible tells us what type of husbands and fathers to be. It tells us how to live and deal with given circumstances. Having to deal with that stuff without God would be a pretty bug downer.
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