American Families of Faith

The Empirical Power of Spiritual Experience | Audio Article 56

"Interest in exploring reasons for religious hope has become increasingly prevalent. Some readers might be seeking answers or guidance for loved ones who are undergoing religious questioning, doubting, or even experiencing a faith crisis. Others may be hoping for some spiritual inoculation against such serious religious doubts for themselves and those they love."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "The Empirical Power of Spiritual Experience," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on September 6, 2023.

When Loving Yourself Meets Loving Your Neighbor | Audio Article 55

"“Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself,”¹ ranks as one of the most repeated verbatim command phrases in the Bible. We frequently forget, however, that this wisdom has two parts: loving our neighbors and loving ourselves. A central part of life’s journey includes finding a healthy balance or harmony between caring for ourselves (self-care) and engaging in acts of sacrifice to help others. For those who take their religion seriously, these choices often are often informed by their faith."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "When Loving Yourself Meets Loving Your Neighbor," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on September 25, 2023.

From Struggle to Strength: Adversity in Religious Families | Audio Article 54

"In a landmark article on the power of negative experiences, Baumeister, Bratslavsky, Finkenauer, and Vohs (2001) demonstrated that across the clear majority of domains studied by psychologists (including relationship research), “bad is stronger than good.” Baumeister and colleagues found that “bad events will have longer lasting and more intense consequences than good events” (p. 325); that “single bad events are far stronger than even the strongest good ones” (p. 326); that “close relationships are more deeply and conclusively affected by destructive actions than by constructive ones” (p. 355); and that “Hardly any exceptions (indicating greater power of good) can be found” (p. 323). 

"At the same time, a large and growing body of research has demonstrated that religion and spirituality, diversely measured, are associated with a wide range of benefits to individuals, couples, and families. Those benefits have been connected to the capacity of religious beliefs, practices, and communities to provide meaning, structure, and social support. If religion and spirituality can help, how does this help occur? Are religious and spiritual experiences part of the reason why religiosity and spirituality have been helpful?"

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "From Struggle to Strength: Adversity in Religious Families," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on August 16, 2023.

The Power of Repentance to Help Relational Healing | Audio Article 53

"For many immersed in 21st-century culture, the idea of repentance may be jarringly akin to “shaming,” guilt-tripping, or fear-based condemnation. These connotations suggest links to depression, anxiety, and relational struggles and strife.  

"In sharp contrast, however, many of the roughly 200 wives and husbands we interviewed in our American Families of Faith project—people with religious and relational strengths—discussed repentance as personal transformative change that has strengthened or even saved their marriage, their parent-child relationships, or both. For them, repentance is not a dark night of the soul, but the dawn of a better day for them and their loved ones."

Kyra Nielson reads the article, "The Power of Repentance to Help Relational Healing," which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on October 22, 2025.

Prophets, the Proclamation, and the “Arena of Warring Gods” | Audio Article 52

"Sociologist Roger Friedman recently wrote that we live in a world that is “an arena of warring gods.” From a social science perspective, those gods include the economic and political gods of money, fame, and power.

"Other “gods” include consumerism, pop icons, and football. Super Bowl Sunday features this trifecta in living color via a billion-dollar arena filled with worshippers of the church of the oval brown ball, with a rock and roll deity making an appearance at half time, while the television audience is regaled with multi-million dollar commercials urging us to give our cash offerings to a variety of companies. Indeed, in the words of Dave Ramsey, 'We spend money we don’t have, on things we don’t need, to impress people we don’t like.'"

Loren Marks reads the article, "Prophets, the Proclamation, and the 'Arena of Warring Gods,'" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on May 20, 2024.

The Growing Famine of Hope | Audio Article 51

"Today’s society is experiencing epidemics of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Even so, positive psychology and the Abrahamic religions both exhort that the virtue of hope has the potential to help people dealing with a wide range of challenges."

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Growing Famine of Hope" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on April 29, 2024.

The Hidden Power of “Thank You” | Audio Article 50

"Charlotte Brontë is renowned for her beloved classic Jane Eyre, but in her lesser-known novel Shirley, she offered valuable insight into the noble quality of gratitude when she wrote:

I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever.

Our recent research as social scientists indicates that for many, “Gratitude is a divine emotion.” Although we did not ask directly about gratitude, many participants spontaneously discussed gratitude in their spiritual lives and their relationships. "

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Hidden Power of 'Thank You' " which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on March 8, 2024.

The Other Faith Crisis: Shattering Illusions Around Marital Fidelity | Audio Article 49

"A close friend (a younger male professor at another university) has permitted us to share this opening story anonymously:  The strikingly attractive female student entered my office, closed the door behind her, and then moved far too close to me, almost pinning me against my desk. She put her lips inches from my face and gave me a “kiss me” look. Several seconds passed. The young beauty stepped back and paused for several more seconds. She then said, 'My Dad just left my Mom for a younger woman. I had to find out if all men are like him or if there is still hope.'

"Much has been written about the swelling “faith crisis” and “The Rise of the Nones”—a loss of religious faith, particularly among emerging adults. But there is another faith crisis among those coming of age that may be just as vital to address:  Can an imperfect wife and an imperfect husband be faithful to each other? Is it possible to obtain, maintain, protect, and polish the elusive gem of complete marital fidelity across time?"

Loren Marks reads the article, "The Other Faith Crisis: Shattering Illusions Around Marital Fidelity" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on June 14, 2023.

How Spiritual Practices Helped Families Amidst Shifting Dynamics | Audio Article 48

"For many individuals and families, the COVID-19 pandemic dramatically altered family life. In some ways, these changes have been unsettling or even tragic.

"One jarring effect COVID has had on family relationships is the disruption of previous family routines and rituals. In the words of COVID researcher Heather Prime, families have been impacted by these changes in routines and rituals 'on a magnitude likely not seen since World War II.'

"We do not for a moment equate World War II’s effects with those of COVID. “An estimated total of 70–85 million people perished [in World War II] … about 3% of the 1940 world population,” while 5.6 million have died from the COVID-19 outbreak as of January 22, 2022 (or about three-quarters of 1% of the 2020 world population).

"While the COVID death toll does not approach that of World War II, Prime may still be correct in identifying COVID as the greatest global disrupter of families 'since World War II.' "

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "How Spiritual Practices Helped Families Amidst Shifting Dynamics" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on May 10, 2023.

How Many Religious Families Thrived During COVID | Audio Article 47

"Imagine yourself, several years from now, having a conversation with your five-year-old child or grandchild. They look up at you with shining eyes and ask, 

'[Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa], what was it like in 2020?'

Wow, what a loaded question.

What would your reaction be? How would you respond? Would you tell them about the natural disasters and the political tension? Would you joke about the toilet paper shortage and the empty shelves at the grocery store? Would you share the fears and worries you faced due to the COVID-19 pandemic?

As you rattle on about the complexities of 2020, your child/grandchild interrupts you and asks, 'But wasn’t there anything good that happened during COVID?'

This question is the same one we pose to you."

Laura McKeighen reads the article, "How Many Religious Families Thrived During COVID" which was originally published in Public Square Magazine on April 12, 2023.