Loren D. Marks – författare

This book explores how religious families draw on their spiritual beliefs, religious practices, and faith communities to help them strengthen their marital relationships and their parenting.

Using in-depth interviews from eight religious groups – Asian American Christian; Black Christian; Catholic and Orthodox Christian; Evangelical Christian; Jewish; Latter-day Saint; Mainline Protestant; and Muslim – the book uses the interviewees’ own words to show how their religion impacts their lives and influences their relationships. The book also includes an introductory chapter which describes the study and the sample; a conceptual chapter which places the empirical chapters in theoretical context in sociological study of religious families; and a concluding chapter which describes how the editors and authors developed respect and admiration for religious cultures other than their own.

Drawing on such a diverse group of religions in America, this book will be of interest to those studying individual religious groups, as well as wider ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Marriage and Family Review.

This book explores how religious families draw on their spiritual beliefs, religious practices, and faith communities to help them strengthen their marital relationships and their parenting.

Using in-depth interviews from eight religious groups – Asian American Christian; Black Christian; Catholic and Orthodox Christian; Evangelical Christian; Jewish; Latter-day Saint; Mainline Protestant; and Muslim – the book uses the interviewees’ own words to show how their religion impacts their lives and influences their relationships. The book also includes an introductory chapter which describes the study and the sample; a conceptual chapter which places the empirical chapters in theoretical context in sociological study of religious families; and a concluding chapter which describes how the editors and authors developed respect and admiration for religious cultures other than their own.

Drawing on such a diverse group of religions in America, this book will be of interest to those studying individual religious groups, as well as wider ecumenism and inter-religious dialogue. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Marriage and Family Review.

Now in its second edition, this multidisciplinary text addresses the growing scholarly connection between religion and family life while offering an accurate and engaging account of why and how families are impacted by their religion.

This updated volume integrates the social science literature from family studies, psychology, sociology, and religion with narratives drawn from in-depth interviews with 300 racially, religiously, and regionally diverse families that bring the concepts to life. Written in a thought-provoking, accessible style by two of the leading researchers in the field, this book reflects the author’s first-hand experience in teaching today’s students about religion’s influence on families. This book examines Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, addresses the impact of religious involvement on longevity, divorce rates, and parenting styles, and considers demographic, family, couple, and individual-level data that relate to prayer and other sacred practices. New chapters explore:

Pedagogical features include boldfaced key terms defined in the glossary, text boxes, chapter conclusions, summary points, and review questions. Intended as a text for undergraduate courses in family and religion, the psychology or sociology of the family, the psychology or sociology of religion, pastoral/biblical counseling, or family and youth ministry, taught in human development and family studies, psychology, sociology, religion, social work, pastoral counseling, and philosophy, this book is also relevant to family therapists and counselors.

Now in its second edition, this multidisciplinary text addresses the growing scholarly connection between religion and family life while offering an accurate and engaging account of why and how families are impacted by their religion.

This updated volume integrates the social science literature from family studies, psychology, sociology, and religion with narratives drawn from in-depth interviews with 300 racially, religiously, and regionally diverse families that bring the concepts to life. Written in a thought-provoking, accessible style by two of the leading researchers in the field, this book reflects the author’s first-hand experience in teaching today’s students about religion’s influence on families. This book examines Christianity, Judaism, and Islam, addresses the impact of religious involvement on longevity, divorce rates, and parenting styles, and considers demographic, family, couple, and individual-level data that relate to prayer and other sacred practices. New chapters explore:

Pedagogical features include boldfaced key terms defined in the glossary, text boxes, chapter conclusions, summary points, and review questions. Intended as a text for undergraduate courses in family and religion, the psychology or sociology of the family, the psychology or sociology of religion, pastoral/biblical counseling, or family and youth ministry, taught in human development and family studies, psychology, sociology, religion, social work, pastoral counseling, and philosophy, this book is also relevant to family therapists and counselors.

Sacred Matters explores the multi-disciplinary literature about the role of religion in family life and provides new research and a new theory about ways various aspects of the sacred are helpful and harmful. The authors hope that their new conceptual framework will stimulate new research and encourage the creation of new intervention programs designed to help families.

Sacred Matters features:

This book raises the bar in creating new theories about family processes and in the integration of theory, research, and application. It begins with a review of the previous literature and then expands the research about sanctification to create a new general theory (or model) about ways sacred processes help and hinder families. Next the authors expand the theory and research about the role of forgiveness, sacrifice, and prayer in families. New theory and research are then added about loving, coping with conflict, dealing with undesirable behavior, generational relationships, morality, and the psychosocial aspects of religion. The authors then describe ways sacred theory can be integrated with other theories and ways it provides new explanations about broader social problems. The book concludes with new quantitative research and suggestions for future research.

Researchers, practitioners, and advanced students in several disciplines will find this volume valuable. It will expand and enrich the reading in graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in areas such as family studies, human development, marriage and family therapy, the psychology of the family and the psychology of religion, the sociology of the family and the sociology of religion, pastoral counseling, anthropology, and social work.

Sacred Matters explores the multi-disciplinary literature about the role of religion in family life and provides new research and a new theory about ways various aspects of the sacred are helpful and harmful. The authors hope that their new conceptual framework will stimulate new research and encourage the creation of new intervention programs designed to help families.

Sacred Matters features:

This book raises the bar in creating new theories about family processes and in the integration of theory, research, and application. It begins with a review of the previous literature and then expands the research about sanctification to create a new general theory (or model) about ways sacred processes help and hinder families. Next the authors expand the theory and research about the role of forgiveness, sacrifice, and prayer in families. New theory and research are then added about loving, coping with conflict, dealing with undesirable behavior, generational relationships, morality, and the psychosocial aspects of religion. The authors then describe ways sacred theory can be integrated with other theories and ways it provides new explanations about broader social problems. The book concludes with new quantitative research and suggestions for future research.

Researchers, practitioners, and advanced students in several disciplines will find this volume valuable. It will expand and enrich the reading in graduate and advanced undergraduate courses in areas such as family studies, human development, marriage and family therapy, the psychology of the family and the psychology of religion, the sociology of the family and the sociology of religion, pastoral counseling, anthropology, and social work.