The Positive Role of Religion

By Father John Flynn, LC

ROME, SEPT. 19, 2010 (Zenit.org)

A study published Sept. 9 by Pat Fagan, senior fellow of the Family Research Council and director of the Marriage and Religion Research Institute, on religion and children's academic performance entitled "Religious Practice and Educational Attainment," Fagan revealed that a higher level of religious practice can positively affect a student's ability to perform in school.

Pupils involved in religious activities spend more time on their homework, the study reported. They also achieve better test results and are less likely to drop out of high school. Moreover, its positive impact is not confined to school, but continues at college level.

One study found that 19.5% of students who infrequently worshiped drop out of school, compared to only 9.1% of students who attended worship often.

The paper identified a number of ways through which religion help students:

-- It internalizes values and norms that help achievement;

-- It fosters high personal expectations, and helps students avoid socially deviant behavior. Those students attending weekly religious services were less likely to use drugs or alcohol, or to engage in delinquent behavior;

-- Religious families tend to be cohesive and stable, to plan for students' futures, and to expect much of them;

-- Teens who are devoutly religious have higher educational expectations for themselves;

-- Religious peers tend to be more academically oriented, and the resulting peer group encourages academic engagement;

-- Religious attendance also appears to boost social skills;

-- Churches offer students resources, community, and mentorship. The strong social bonds of religious groups can supplement the resources available to children, helping them to achieve higher levels of education.

Fagan noted that frequent religious attendance also tends to increase students' total years of schooling. The benefit for students of weekly church attendance compared to peers who do not attend church at all was equivalent to the benefits that come from a mother that has three years of extra education and a father that has four years of extra education.

Importantly, religion is one of few readily accessible institutions for lower-income families.

The paper emphasized the importance of this for those in lower socio-economic groups. For those who are more advantaged, religion is just one possible resource among many.

"By contrast, for the poor, the effect of religious practice is significant because it is one of the few robust positive influences in their lives," Fagan wrote.

Another finding was that religiosity has a greater impact on educational outcomes for urban youth than for non-urban youth. The paper surmised that one explanation for this is that religious organizations are more readily available in urban areas. In addition, religion can also acts as a check against the more negative elements common in urban neighborhoods that have a detrimental effect on educational achievement.