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Religions
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Religious Transmission Across Generations: Challenges, Continuities, and Changes
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Religious Transmission Across Generations: Challenges, Continuities, and Changes

A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444). This special issue belongs to the section "Religions and Humanities/Philosophies".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 6188

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Christel Gärtner

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Cluster of Excellence, University of Muenster, D-48143 Münster, Germany
Interests: sociology of religion and culture; social theories and micro-sociology; methods of hermeneutic; historical social research
Dr. Roberta Ricucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Cultures, Politics and Society, University of Turin, 10100 Turin, Italy
Interests: migration; muslim in western countries; religion; identity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Among the various research topics dealing with the relationship between religiosity and younger generations is that of religious transmission across generations. Studies in different national contexts have revealed similarities and differences in explaining the success (or failure) of religious socialization, particularly in trying to explain the rise of the so-called “Nones”. However, they also look at challenges, continuities, and changes in the way parents convey religious identity today, how the religious environment outside the family (friends, religious institutions, social media, etc.) interacts with parents’ religious instructions, and how and to what extent grandparents still play a role in the religious upbringing of younger generations.

This Special Issue invites contributions that deal with the process of religious socialization and transmission, especially the role of actors, institutions, topics, and practices. In addition, we want to take a closer look at the outcome of religious transmission: How does the younger generation position itself towards religion? What do young people believe in? What is important to them and what are they committed to? What shapes the religious or spiritual life of young people?

We encourage, in particular, studies that have explored the topic empirically, theoretically, and comparatively.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Religious transmission;
  • Religious organizations and their effects on youth religious socialization;
  • Religious education;
  • Changes and continuities in religious socialization across generations;
  • Differences in religious behavior across generations within and outside families.

Deadline for abstract submission: 31 October 2024

Deadline for full manuscript submission: 31 May 2025

We look forward to receiving insightful contributions.

Prof. Dr. Christel Gärtner
Dr. Roberta Ricucci
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Religions is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • religious transmission
  • young peoples belief
  • nones
  • atheism
  • cultural religion
  • religious education
  • religious institutions

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 587 KB  
Article
From Authority to Symbol: The Channels, Conditions and Reception of the Post-Memorial Transmission of John Paul II’s Heritage
by Stanisław Fel, Jarosław Kozak and Adelaide di Maggio
Religions 2025, 16(12), 1533; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16121533 - 5 Dec 2025
Viewed by 235
Abstract
The heritage of John Paul II (JP2), a widely recognised religious and political leader, remains an important part of Polish heritage. However, the values and teachings he embodied appear to be increasingly disconnected from the younger generation. This study aims to assess whether [...] Read more.
The heritage of John Paul II (JP2), a widely recognised religious and political leader, remains an important part of Polish heritage. However, the values and teachings he embodied appear to be increasingly disconnected from the younger generation. This study aims to assess whether the memory of JP2 today functions as an internalised heritage among young adults in Poland (aged 29–35) or whether it serves primarily as a symbolic point of reference. Drawing on Marianne Hirsch’s concept of post-memory, the study conducted a representative survey (n = 500) of young adults in Poland. The study constructed an empirical post-memory indicator of JP2’s heritage, incorporating information on the pope and own religiosity. Findings show that the memory of JP2 is primarily transmitted through family, school and traditional media. Other institutional and non-institutional channels of communication play a lesser role. JP2’s legacy exists as a form of cultural memory present within social structures, but it is becoming less and less relevant to the personal identity of young people. This study demonstrates the applicability of Hirsch’s concept of post-memory to quantitative analysis of religious heritage in a post-confessional context. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Transmission Across Generations: Challenges, Continuities, and Changes)
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19 pages, 281 KB  
Article
The Impact of Religious Socialization on the Crisis of Faith: The Case of Young Turks in Türkiye
by Muhammed Babacan
Religions 2025, 16(10), 1297; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101297 - 13 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1829
Abstract
This study examines the influence of religious socialization on the crises of faith among Turkish youth in Türkiye. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 20 participants, it adopts a process-oriented approach, conceptualizing a crisis of faith not merely as an abrupt disruption but as [...] Read more.
This study examines the influence of religious socialization on the crises of faith among Turkish youth in Türkiye. Drawing on qualitative interviews with 20 participants, it adopts a process-oriented approach, conceptualizing a crisis of faith not merely as an abrupt disruption but as a gradual process shaped by the complex and sometimes conflicting dynamics within religious socialization. Young individuals are not simply passive agents in the traditionally one-way transmission of faith; instead, they become more autonomous and dynamic as they encounter negative attitudes and behaviors, often leading to a crisis of faith. The analysis highlights the roles of authoritarian parenting, perceived inconsistencies in religious teachings, peer and social media influence, and gender inequalities within patriarchal contexts. The findings suggest that while religious socialization provides an initial framework for faith, it also poses challenges that prompt Turkish youth to re-evaluate or distance themselves critically from traditional religion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Transmission Across Generations: Challenges, Continuities, and Changes)
28 pages, 348 KB  
Article
Transmission and Transformation of Religion Among Muslims in Canada and West Germany
by Alyshea Cummins and Linda Hennig
Religions 2025, 16(10), 1293; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16101293 - 11 Oct 2025
Viewed by 1907
Abstract
In many countries across the Western world, religion is in decline, with public secular environments increasingly outweighing family-based religious socialization. Canada and West Germany exemplify this trend, where younger generations often perceive religion as something to be justified within predominantly nonreligious peer groups. [...] Read more.
In many countries across the Western world, religion is in decline, with public secular environments increasingly outweighing family-based religious socialization. Canada and West Germany exemplify this trend, where younger generations often perceive religion as something to be justified within predominantly nonreligious peer groups. Muslims, as a religious minority, display greater resilience to secularization, yet their religiosity is also subject to transformation. Drawing on narrative family interviews spanning two to three generations, this study examines the conditions shaping religious continuity and discontinuity within Muslim families in Canada and West Germany. Focusing on second- and third-generation Muslims, we find that practicing religion with children is the most significant factor in successful transmission, especially when rituals are woven into daily life. Yet family practice alone is insufficient: embedding children in faith-based community networks and fostering open dialogue about religion prove crucial for sustaining confidence, belonging, and adaptability. Religious transmission also intersects with ethnic and cultural identity, though ethnic ties alone do not guarantee continuity. Ultimately, we observe that transmission involves transformation: parents are changing the way they approach religion, placing a greater emphasis on their children making their own choices. Muslim families, like other faith communities, shift toward more individualized and reflective forms of religiosity, negotiating their identities within secular and often critical societal contexts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Transmission Across Generations: Challenges, Continuities, and Changes)
20 pages, 5589 KB  
Article
Representations of Divinity Among Romanian Senior Students in Orthodox Theology Vocational High School
by Monica Defta and Daniela Sorea
Religions 2025, 16(7), 839; https://doi.org/10.3390/rel16070839 - 25 Jun 2025
Viewed by 1066
Abstract
The process of secularization was long considered irreversible and characteristic of all contemporary culture. Nonetheless, more recent approaches view it as strictly linked to Western religiosity and in relation to a process of de-secularization and post-secular orientations regarding the sacred. For Romanian Orthodox [...] Read more.
The process of secularization was long considered irreversible and characteristic of all contemporary culture. Nonetheless, more recent approaches view it as strictly linked to Western religiosity and in relation to a process of de-secularization and post-secular orientations regarding the sacred. For Romanian Orthodox theologians, secularization represents more of a trial than a danger. The current article presents the results of qualitative research regarding the religiosity of future graduates of Orthodox vocational theological high schools in Romania. The students enrolled in the research were asked to graphically represent God and briefly explain their drawings. The data were theoretically coded and compared with the canonical attributes of God as acknowledged by Orthodox theology. The results indicated the canonical correctness of students’ representations of divinity. Orthodox vocational high school education proves to be effective in imposing the Christian dogmatic line to the detriment of popular religiosity characterized by old pre-Christian beliefs and practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Religious Transmission Across Generations: Challenges, Continuities, and Changes)
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