Religious Heterogamy and Religiosity: A Comparison of Interchurch and Same‐Church Individuals

Abstract

Based on a national sample of Christian couples, interchurch respondents reported lower levels of religiosity than same-church respondents on a number of religious variables. Respondents in same-church marriages were similar in religiosity regardless of whether the relationship was initially interchurch or same-church. The study did not find evidence that interchurch respondents were more likely than same-church individuals to drift away from church practice. Strength of denominational identity at engagement was the strongest predictor of religious behavior among interchurch respondents, while church attendance at engagement was the strongest predictor among same-church respondents. Interchurch respondents and their spouses were less likely to emphasize religion in raising children than same-church respondents, and were more likely to differ as a couple on their emphasis on religion in raising children. Interchurch parents predominantly raise their children exclusively in one parent's church, although 12 percent reported raising their children in both churches.

Parents' Religious Heterogamy and Children's Well‐Being

“…Indeed, marital conflict is positively associated with religious heterogamy (Bahr 1981; Call and Heaton 1997; Curtis and Ellison 2002; Heaton 1984) and negatively associated with children's well‐being (Emery 1982; Grych and Fincham 1990; Vandewater and Lansford 1998). Also, research shows that religious participation, which is linked to positive outcomes for children (Regnerus 2003), is lower among religiously heterogamous couples (Petersen 1986; Williams and Lawler 2001).…”

“…Patterns of religious participation may also differ in religiously heterogamous marriages in ways that negatively affect their children's well‐being. Interfaith couples do attend church services less frequently than same‐faith couples (Petersen 1986; Williams and Lawler 2001). A lack of religious participation among religiously heterogamous couples may have important implications for children's well‐being because religious participation may be more relevant than religious identification for marital and family stability, as well as children's well‐being (Call and Heaton 1997; Curtis and Ellison 2002; Heaton 1984; Pearce and Axinn 1998; Stolzenberg, Blair‐Loy, and Waite 1995).…”

“…Studies on the influence of religion on the family tend to focus only on single‐faith families because they have been the norm in the United States. Yet, religiously heterogamous marriages have become more common (Kalmijn 1991; McCutcheon 1988; Williams and Lawler 2001). In addition, most of the research on religion in the family, and on heterogamous marriages in particular, has focused on adults in the household.…”

Homophily in online dating

“…It might also be true that having similar religiosity is more important than sharing a specific religion (cf. Williams & Lawler 2003).…”

The Impact of Concentrations of Religious Denominational Affiliations on the Rate of Currently Divorced in Counties in the United States

“…A greater disparity between the practices of the couple's religious affiliations increases the likelihood of marital unhappiness (Ortega et al, 1988) and conflict (Ellison, Bartkowski, & Anderson, 1999), with those couples where only one of the partners has a fundamentalist orientation being at greatest risk for dissolution (Lehrer & Chiswick, 1993). However, Williams and Lawler (2003) contend that the management of religious differences may be more problematic than the differences themselves.…”