Raising children with religion: Why some adults return to faith

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In my research on why some younger people are returning to faith, I’ve learned that this decision is often tied to a major life milestone — starting a family and having children. A new, or renewed, interest in faith is often sparked by the desire to provide children with a moral foundation, prompting parents to reevaluate their own guiding values and principles.

For example, Ashley Fitzgerald, a mother and environmental sociologist in Chicago, told me she began thinking about what constitutes a moral framework after she started having children. “How does society instill morals in people without any kind of moral framework?” she found herself asking.