The Kids Are Not All Right…

…and it’s our fault.  How’s that for a bitter pill?

Thanks to Ken for pointing me to a Washington Post article that references a new Pew Study demonstrates a correlation between children of divorced parents versus children of parents who remained married.  If your parents divorced when you were younger, odds are greater that you’re not Christian now, even if you (and they) were then.  Examining the report itself reveals other interesting tidbits as well that are worth your perusal, including:

• A five-fold increase in the religiously unaffiliated – from 5% of the population in 1972 to 25% today
• Every single age group demonstrates growth in religious unaffiliation
• If you were raised without a religious affiliation, odds are you will remain without one as you age

Lots of other interesting tidbits in there as well if you enjoy that sort of thing!

In regards to divorce, we need to quit believing the lie that divorce really isn’t that big a deal for the kids.  It’s a huge deal.  It may still be necessary in some situations, but we can never pretend that it isn’t a big deal for everyone involved.  For those who have divorced, we give thanks for the forgiveness of our Lord and Savior, and we seek in whatever ways we can to address the faith lives of our children, knowing that the divorce can severely impact their faith.  Parents in the midst of divorce should also take seriously working actively not just with counselors but with their pastor to ensure that their children are ministered to during this bewildering time.  And pastors need to be proactive in reaching out to families in their congregation if they know that divorce has occurred or may be on the horizon.

There’s too much at stake to just pretend everything is going to be all right.