Guest editorial: Faith and non-faith worldviews in understanding family relationships

In the last decades, Western and non-Western societies have experienced significant cultural, social and institutional transformations across various sectors, including religious worldviews and family structures and relationships. Among these transformations, the process of secularization – “in which religion diminishes in importance both in society and in the consciousness of individuals” (Berger 2002, p. 336) – the reverse process of de-secularization and the difficult balance of post-secularism (Habermas, 2010) have reshaped many aspects of social life, including family relationships.

Sociological literature has proposed a wide array of reflections on these processes over the last decades (Martin, 2005, 2011; Mouzelis, 2012; Beaumont et al., 2018). These reflections started in classical sociological theories and developed by including more recent theoretical perspectives on the relationship between religion and modernity. From the Weberian “disenchantment” (Weber, 2002), a changing scenario has been described by the contributions of scholars like Peter Berger (1999) on the crisis of the secularization thesis, up to the discussion around de-secularization and post-secularism (Eisenstadt, 2000; Habermas, 2008). These former analyses paved the way to the contemporary reflections on the resurgence of vitality in religious traditions and groups (e.g. Gorski and Altınordu, 2008; Berger, 2017) and the emergence of new forms of non-religiosity (Kettell, 2013) and spirituality (e.g. Davie, 1990; Huss, 2014; Palmisano and Pannofino, 2014), making clear that, in our contemporary world, secularization coexists with religious revival. This generates tensions and challenges outside and within the family field and in the broader context of contemporary highly differentiated societies.

Our idea for this Special Issue originated in the reflection that the family field – borrowing the concept of “field” from the work of Pierre Bourdieu (1996), then developed by Atkinson (2016) – can be shaped by different driving forces and, in turn, it affects broader societal dynamics. Similarly, faith and non-faith worldviews can affect the family field and be affected by it. We did not intend to root the theoretical discussion and empirical contribution of this Special Issue into one concept or approach (e.g. the Bourdieusian one), but, as we will explain in the following paragraphs, to keep it open and “dialogical” with different approaches. Therefore, this depiction of the family field and its relations with the outer fields should be considered as a conceptual metaphor to describe a model of interpretation that we aimed to solicit from authors. Therefore, contributors were free to analyse how faith and non-faith worldviews could affect the family field, or how the family affected these worldviews or how both dimensions work reciprocally, relationally and contextually.

Furthermore, this Special Issue pinpoints not only contemporary theoretical sociological discussions but also emerging social issues intersecting the fields of (non)religion and family. By acknowledging the “spirit of our age” – the Hegelian “Zeitgeist”, in these circumstances shaped by post-secular pluralisms – we have sought to include not only different theoretical perspectives but also empirical studies from various belief systems and from different areas of the world to stress the child-parent-grandparent as well as sibling, couple and nonconventional kinship interactions and relationships.

While we position ourselves as authors contributing to the field of the sociology of families, relationships, intimacy and personal life (e.g. Gillies, 2003; Jamieson, 2011a; Jamieson, 2011b; Jamieson et al., 2011; May and Dowson, 2018), which is attentive towards agency and relationality, social interactions and social practices, we acknowledge that this perspective can be enriched by the dialogue and engagement with other theoretical approaches and (sub)disciplinary fields. Hence, the conceptual metaphor borrowed from the Bourdieusian social theory.

This is the reason why authors included in this Special Issue explore the intertwining between (non)faith worldviews and family life through a range of different conceptual approaches and methodological tools, and even when they do not position themselves within the above-mentioned theoretical approach, they can dialogue with and enhance it, confront and complement it. For instance, the perspective of family practice (Morgan, 2011a, b) offers a conceptual tool that can be utilized to analyse data from different family contexts and foster academic conversation between different approaches. Moreover, from a theoretical perspective, we point out the importance of transitioning from a “sociology of the family” to a “sociology of families”, a definition which acknowledges the variety of family forms, approaches to class and constellations of practices that contemporary families embody.

In addition, it seems also important from a theoretical and empirical point of view to recognize not only faith worldviews but also non-faith worldviews (e.g. atheism, agnosticism and humanism) as systems of beliefs which affect and are affected by the family field. This perspective is supported, for instance, by the work of Lois Lee (2015) that investigates how emerging “non-” or “post-binary” perspectives on religion can be integrated into theories of religious formation and change, with a particular focus on how these processes unfold within families and across generations. Rather than simply signalling the decline of religious beliefs and practices, this perspective views religious and value transformation as a process of reconfiguration, where elements of established traditions merge with new forms of existential thought, experience and practice.

While tapping into the current sociological landscape, this Special Issue also contributes to develop insights for social policy to address issues of contemporary (non)believer families and needs for social change, following suggestions from the seminal work of Linda Woodhead (e.g. Woodhead et al., 2003). The relevance of this Special Issue stems also from its acknowledgement of the complex interplay between theist and non-theist worldviews in shaping contemporary societal challenges and global issues. Among these challenges, family relationships and practices play a crucial role in transmitting, shaping, reinforcing or reshaping values and ethics in response to these evolving dynamics. We also aim – through these contributions – to inspire interfaith conversations within and outside academic settings and debates in which family relationships and personal life can be a common ground of discussion.

This contribution is structured into three parts: this introduction, a literature review and a presentation of the chapters included in this special issue.

A substantial body of literature explores the intersections between (non)religion and family life from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. Here, we will highlight some of the most significant discussions and trends, with a particular focus on the sociological perspectives on families, relationships and intimate life (Jamieson et al., 2011). While key discussions concerning the relations between (non)faith worldviews and family relationships focus on (non)religious socialization, couple relationships, gender roles and family structures, (non)religious practices within the family, (non)religious differences within the family and the relationship between religion and family-related policies, we have chosen to address only some of these discussions in this introduction, which reflect the main aspects pointed out by the contributions collected in this Special Issue.

The first key discussion concerns the process of socialization to (non)religious values, which includes the study of practices and roles characterizing this process. It has attracted the interest of both sociology of family and sociology of religion, in which it is one of the mainstream discussions. Most notable contributions come from the US and are, for instance, the renowned works of Bengtson et al. (2017), a longitudinal study on religious transmission conducted for almost four generations in the US; Smith (2005) on the religious and spiritual lives of American teenagers, and Smith and Adamczyk (2020), who analyse the cultural models which affect American parents’ motivations and practices of religious transmission of values. Outside the US, longitudinal studies on (non)religious socialization are less known, but still, several research studies reflect the interest in this topic. For instance, among the studies conducted in European countries, Mark Sedgwick's (2014) work on young Muslims living in the Nordic and European countries should be mentioned, which sheds light on how the private sphere of the family, public education and government policy intersect in the experiences of young Muslims, shaping their religious beliefs and practices. Moreover, a range of studies examine the impact of religious socialization on the non-religiosity of people (e.g. Beider, 2023; Tervo-Niemelä, 2021) and the transmission of non-religious values (e.g. Strahn et al., 2024; Wilkins-Laflamme, 2020). Contributions appear to be extensively quantitative ones (see for instance, Voas and Storm, 2021), while studies on the processes of socialization conducted with qualitative approaches are often fragmented into a myriad of small studies.

Overall, the large number of studies makes it clear the centrality of this discussion within and beyond academic contexts. However, we have noticed a lack of specific and systematic contributions based on the sociologies of families, relationships and intimate life addressing the relations between (non)faith worldviews and family relationships. Moreover, in the contemporary scenario, significant contributions from the socio-constructionist and symbolic-interactionist perspectives are still missing.

The second key discussion concerns the relations between (non)faith worldviews and couple relationships, including studies about gender roles and family structures. Once again, contributions to this discussion are extremely numerous, from a variety of sociological approaches. We want to mention some of the topical aspects of this discussion: how faith and non-faith perspectives affect the choice of the partner (e.g. Carol, 2018; Braithwaite et al., 2015; Goodman et al., 2013; Marks, 2005) and the intimate life of couples (Page, 2021; Ketokivi, 2012; Duba, 2011); how gender and religion influence the context of intimate relationships (e.g. Irby, 2014 on conservative religions); how gender roles in religious families have changes over time (Woodhead, 2016); how religion and non-religion impact on family structures and dynamics (e.g. Lee and Slootweg, 2021; Voas and Chaves, 2021); how mixed-faith couples and families negotiate their different systems of beliefs (e.g. Cerchiaro, 2023; Arweck, 2022; Arwech, 2010); how religion affiliations affect intimate partner violence (Gezinski et al., 2023; Nason-Clarke et al., 2018; Wang et al., 2009; Ware et al., 2004; Cunradi, 2002) and how religion affect non-heterosexual families (e.g. Yip, 2004). Since this discussion intersects different fields of study, contributions are often interdisciplinary, thus stimulating bridges between sociology, psychology and religious and theological studies. From a sociological perspective, while studies cover a range of qualitative and quantitative approaches, research using the perspective of the sociologies of families, relationships and intimate life is still scant and fragmented, particularly in the global south.

A third key discussion addresses research on how faith and non-faith worldviews affect family and parenting practices. When we use the term “practices”, we refer to the definition of “family practices” offered by Morgan (2011a, b) and widely used in family studies, mainly within the framework of the sociology of families and relationships. Family practices include a range of practices within the family field which are intended as the everyday actions, behaviours and interactions that shape how individuals create and experience family life. In other words, the “family practices” approach focuses on the activities family members engaged in with one another and how, through these practices, they reinforced, maintained and occasionally redefined relationships perceived as family (Morgan, 2019). This definition, which guides many studies in the field of the sociology of families and relationships, is seldom utilized in the field of religion and religious studies. While a range of studies with different approaches address the religious influence on parenting practices (e.g. Vermeer, 2011; Lees and Horwath, 2009; Frosh, 2004), research on how family practices incorporate or display (non)religious beliefs is scant, with a few exceptions (e.g. Becher, 2008). Attention should be given to the distinction between practices of religious socialization within the family and family practices informed by religion. These practices are part of “doing family” and “displaying family”. Display – as defined by Finch (2007, p. 67) – is “the process by which individuals, and groups of individuals, convey to each other and to relevant audiences that certain of their actions do constitute ‘doing family things’ and thereby confirm that these relationships are ‘family’ relationships”. These conceptual aspects highlight the importance of incorporating family practices into the study of the relations between faith and non-faith worldviews and family relationships.

With the review of these three key discussions, we aimed to outline not only trends in the existing body of literature but also the gaps that need to be addressed. One of the important gaps that needs attention is about the potential of the approach promoted by the sociology of families and relationships, which is beyond the simple academic study of these topics and that would allow developing impact on family-related policies and interfaith conversations. From a professional and policymaking perspective, in fact, the relationship between religion and parenting and family practices is often ignored or underestimated (see, for instance, Godina, 2014).

Moreover, the body of literature reviewed and the related discussions are limited in other ways. First, they often neglect the non-Western world, which is often not included in larger comparative or longitudinal studies. This is, of course, the result of broader social, economic and political factors which affect research planning and funding. However, this still affects the understanding of social processes and practices related to the relations between (non)faith worldviews and family relationships. Second, they often deal with one specific religion and seldom consider non-faith approaches (e.g. atheism, agnosticism and humanism) as systems of beliefs which affect the processes of socialization, family relationships and family practices. Third, minority and non-mainstream communities and movements within religious worldviews remain largely understudied in relation to the approach to family relationships that informs this work.

This special issue – Faith and non-faith worldviews in understanding family relationships – seeks to propose reflections on these gaps and overcome some of these limitations. First, it includes conceptual insights from the sociology of families and relationships; second, it includes contributions from different countries and areas of the world and thus different (non)religions and intersections of multiple (non)religious belief systems as well as different communities of faith within given societies; third, it discusses the implications of each study for family-related social policies. This broader sociological perspective is functional to include different approaches and contributions on different systems of belief in different cultural contexts, but it also allows to identify possible connections with the approach of the sociology of families and relationships while identifying future paths for research.

This editorial is followed by seven articles, which add new perspectives to the study of family relationships as a prism to understand religious and non-religious worldviews.

Sharma’s (2025) contribution proposes an original exploration of the intricate relations between the dimensions of faith, intimacy and care among adult sisters. This paper challenges the mainstream research in the sociology of religion concerning the role of the family in religious socialization. The author argues that this trend in research has neglected other typologies of family relationships which influence religious practices as well. Furthermore, Sharma (2025) takes into consideration an under-researched group, that of adult sisters, while most of the studies concern young siblings. By adopting a feminist standpoint, she proposes an analysis of faith and intimate ties between adult sisters, drawing on biographical interviews with women living in the UK in a sister relationship who define themselves as practising Muslim or Christian. Her study points out how faith can become a source of intimate connection, support and care for sisters who share the same faith, but also a source of tension and conflict for sisters with different views on religion and religiosity. Sharma (2025) also addresses the implications for social policy by highlighting how faith, intimate relationships and day-to-day care needs are tightly connected. This paper is an excellent example of research conducted within the framework of the sociology of families and relationships and intimate life.

The article written by Gado and Frenkel (2025) investigates intimate partner violence through the lens of the novel concept of domestic religious violence (DRV). While previous studies investigating DRV have often focused on the theological motivations used by the perpetrators against their wives, this contribution offers a novel understanding of DRV as a phenomenon in which both women and men can be perpetrators and victims. This paper examines the case of the Jewish Haredi community and analyses the role of religious institutions in these relationships between wives and husbands by allowing specific interpretations of the theological texts within their communities. By analysing data collected through semi-structured interviews with Haredi men and women whose divorce was caused by DRV, Gado and Frenkel’s (2025) work examines an array of different DRV practices – uncovering forms of domestic violence not yet associated with religious violence – and the social contexts which enable DRV. While this study questions the role of the religious institutions and community in DRV, it also points out that state authorities should engage with local religious authorities through dialogue and develop joint educational opportunities to prevent such forms of violence. This paper offers suggestions about how the interface between religion and domestic violence can be studied through the conceptual tools of the sociology of families and relationships and intimate life.

Gwenzi’s (2025) paper examines the role of faith and spirituality in care leavers’ constructions of family. In this context, care leavers are defined as adult people who, during their childhood, were exposed to adverse childhood experiences (ACES) and, later, were entitled to foster care and/or institutional care which they decided to leave, exposing themselves to paths of deviance, marginality and homelessness. This study points out how the religious and spiritual dimensions are central to overcome the ACES they faced and supports them through the journey of meaning-making of their past family relationships and in building more meaningful interpersonal relationships in the present. Based on 45 qualitative in-depth interviews collected by adult care leavers in Zimbabwe, the study analyses the role of the Christian community in supporting these individuals and highlights how religion and spirituality positively affect participants’ resilience and well-being and support them through the process of meaning-making of past and current family relationships. Furthermore, the study allows a broader reflection on the role of Christian churches and communities in African countries and discusses implications for policies. By stressing the application of the concept of family practices by Morgan (2011a, b), this paper constitutes another example of research conducted within the framework of the sociology of families and relationships and intimate life.

The paper written by Altıntaş (2025) focuses on the religious practices of Christian Assyrians living in Türkiye. This contribution analyses how religion shapes family relationships and transmission of religious values. It offers valuable insights on the Christian Assyrian community – an ethnic and religious minority in a country in which Islam is the main religion – that is not frequently studied. Through in-depth interviews with adult family members collected in a specific district of a southeastern province of Türkiye, the author analyses several dimensions of influence of Assyrians’ religion and traces the intertwining between religious and ethnic identities and transmission of values. While offering insights on the traditional values, patriarchal structure and strong ties between families that characterize the Assyrian community, the article also highlights how the private sphere of the family and the Assyrian community are the only spaces in which Assyrian people can preserve and transmit their religious and cultural identities. This article applies the concept of family practices (Morgan, 2011a, b) and offers opportunities to link it to different sociological approaches. Moreover, it points out the relevance of conducting research to highlight social issues and seek social change.

The article written by Amin et al. (2025) investigates the ruptures in family formation and dynamics within the socio-cultural context of the Arabian Gulf and the role of the family in reimagining Islamic traditions. Through semi-structured interviews and photovoice involving young adults in Qatar, her research explores identities, worldviews and aspirations in connection with the role of family and religion. Results show how Qatari youth are trying to reconceptualize Qatari traditions, including the Islamic faith, in the context of the contemporary globalized world. This implies negotiating with and challenging moral boundaries and rules set by the Islamic tradition, as well as developing reflexivity about the cultural influence of the Western world. While this is essentially a study on religious socialization and its setbacks due to external cultural influences, at the same time it shows the potential of in-depth qualitative approaches to analyse phenomena and processes which are often not identified by quantitative studies.

The article by Høeg and Jarnkvist (2025) develops a review of research studies on birth rites in Western societies, thus trying to fill in a gap in literature. It highlights that the ritualization of birth is experiencing a notable transformation in Western societies, with a growing number of these rituals occurring outside traditional religious or secular institutions. While providing an overview of current research on birth rites in Western societies, this paper identifies and discusses the empirical, theoretical and methodological gaps within this field of study. The review indicates that sociological research in this field has predominantly been quantitative and that there is limited knowledge regarding the worldviews of diverse families and the impact of social class on these rites. This article also points out that literature on private birth rites is significantly scant and that non-binary approaches to (non)religion are infrequently employed in studies on this topic, while they should be fundamental to open new ways of understanding family rites. This paper adopts the conceptual tool of family practices offered by Morgan (2011a, b) and contributes meaningfully to filling in a gap of knowledge on practices concerning birth rites in the framework of the sociology of family relationships while delineating connections with other sociological approaches.

The article written by Breskaya (2025) stresses the role that religious upbringing plays for young Nones in societies, which are influenced by different paths of secularization. It introduces the Parental Religious Socialization Index (PRSI) to explore this question, testing it on a sample of university students in Russia and Italy. Findings suggest that the country of origin influences the perceived importance of the PRSI among individuals identifying as Nones. While several nuances emerge from the data, an important finding concerns the role of social network sites in religious socialization, which is more significant than the parent–child relationship. This quantitative study reflects the mainstream interest in socialization and contributes significantly to the study of non-religion.

Overall, these contributions examine the role of faith and non-faith worldviews in understanding family relationships in different contexts and thematic fields. However, they have much in common since they share interest in the key discussions that we have outlined in the literature review section and sociological assumptions about family relationships and intimate life. They indicate fundamental paths for research in this field, which are also important research paths for the sociology of relationships and intimate life. In fact, this approach has much to offer to the analysis of faith and non-faith worldviews, but it is still underused and underestimated in this field. We hope that this Special Issue will solicit conceptual discussions and new empirical research and open up the opportunity for cross-disciplinary hybridizations.