Family, Religion, and Personal Communities: Examples from Mormonism

Keywords

Family-religion connection, Mormonism, family, religion

Abstract

There has been a renewed interest in the family-religion connection over the past decade (D'Antonio & Aldous, 1983; Thomas, 1988; Thomas & Henry, 1988; Thronton, 1988). Most of this work examines the interface between family and religious institutions without careful attention to the distinctive impact of the family's religious community. When studying the impact of religion, researchers frequently emphasized religious affiliation or levels of orthodoxy and participation. However, these are all aspects of institutional religion. Religion is also expressed and experienced within personal religious communities which are not necessarily defined by religious affiliation or congregational participation. Religious identities are sustained within these personal religious communities and the religion and family interface cannot be fully explored without careful attention to the distinctive impact of these communities apart from the impact of institutional religion.

Original Publication Citation

"Family, Religion, and Personal Communities: Examples from Mormonism." Pp. 229- 252 in The Marriage and Family Review's special issue on "Families in Community Settings: Interdisciplinary Perspectives." Vol. 15 Nos. 1 and 2. (with Marie Cornwall).

Document Type

Peer-Reviewed Article

Publication Date

1990

Permanent URL

http://hdl.lib.byu.edu/1877/8452

Publisher

Marriage and Family Review

Language

English

College

Religious Education

Department

Sociology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Full Professor

Link to Full Text

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