As college students return to campus in the coming weeks, a new study suggests that some could be in danger of losing their religion.
Economics professor Miles Kimball and researchers from the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research determined that certain academic majors can influence students’ religiosity — positively or negatively — over time.
More than 26,000 U.S. students responded to questions regarding importance of religion and religious attendance over a six-year period, beginning in high school and continuing through the year after college graduation.
Compared to survey participants who did not attend college, education majors showed the most dramatic increase in religious attendance and religious importance, followed by students in vocational and clerical programs, then business majors.
Biology, engineering, physical science and math majors all show an increase in religious attendance and a decrease in religious importance.
Humanities and social science majors’ religious attendance dips slightly, and religious importance plunges.
Kimball said college is an appropriate setting for measuring religious trends because a campus acts like a microcosm, with each academic major representing a real-world profession.
“College is one of the few times you have a neat little label about the sorts of ideas a person has come in contact with,” Kimball said. “Professions can have a profound effect on people’s attitudes.”
Although the findings illustrate a relationship between college majors and religiosity, some think the statistics are more coincidental than representative of faith journeys on campus.
Nadia Economides, a junior business major at University of Southern California, said religion is not necessarily more important to her now than it was in high school, contrary to the researchers’ expectation that business majors become slightly more religious.
And while Economides attends church services less frequently than a few years ago, she said it’s not a matter of her major; it’s simply because the nearest Greek Orthodox church is a 20-minute drive from campus.
Economides noticed less religious activity among her peers too, which she attributes to the stress of a demanding major and the fast-paced nature of college life.
“Other things have become more immediate or important,” she said. “If I have a paper due, that’s what I’m worrying about.”
As a senior history major at Syracuse University, Darien Clark should have seen his own faith life wane, at least according to Kimball’s study, but a social science major wasn’t the kiss of death for his faith. In fact, Clark said his college years have proven quite the opposite.
Clark holds the title of “grand knight” for a local Knights of Columbus council and is set to become president of the campus Catholic group in January. He said he hasn’t missed Mass since high school, and plans to add a minor in religion and society to further his knowledge of world religions.
“College changed how I was allowed to explore my faith in a more academic sense as well as a more practical sense,” Clark said. “In high school ministries — not that it’s watered down — it’s not very nitty gritty. They hit the basic points. For me, going through college, I’d say that I know more specifics about my faith than ever.”
Kimball admitted that the survey utilized “fairly crude data,” and said the findings more accurately reflect students’ contact with “science, developmentalism and postmodernism” than religious experience.
He noted that social science and humanities majors — which generally employ the scientific method, are committed to truth, freedom and progress, and probe questions of truth and morality — are more likely to prompt students to question their religious upbringings and ultimately become less religious than other majors.
The Rev. Joe Carey, a campus minister at the University of Notre Dame, said he agrees college is a time when students’ faith can be challenged, but he doesn’t see anything wrong with that. Religious exploration, he said, can also bring students closer to a higher power.
Carey, who directs a program for Catholic converts at Notre Dame, sees students from all academic areas joining the church — even former atheists and agnostics — during their college years.
“We have law students that come in, physics majors,” Carey said of would-be converts. “You name the major and there’s someone.”
A 2004 UCLA study tracked students’ religious growth according to major. Consistent with Kimball’s study, education majors led the way in religious and spiritual growth over the first three years of college.
But unlike Kimball’s study — in which social science and humanities majors show decreased religiosity — the ULCA study found fine arts and humanities majors experience the second- and third-highest rates of religious and spiritual growth.
Why the different outcomes between studies? Sam Speers, director of religious and spiritual life at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., said studies often assume that students’ religious identity should be static. Looking at students five years after college, he said, would paint a more accurate picture of their religious identities.
“Just as students are questioning lots of things about who they are, they are also asking questions about religious identity,” Speers said.
“Religious faith and practice is also something that’s evolving and changing.”
By S.J. VELASQUEZ
c. 2009 Religion News Service
Copyright 2009 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted August 20, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Religion, like everything else in life, changes. Those who were raised in a specific faith sometimes realize it makes no sense (me) and some have it get stronger. Some who never saw the inside of any religious institution, find one in college. College is a good chance for exploration…of life in general, and perhaps one’s spiritual beliefs. If life is static…boring.
posted August 20, 2009 at 9:22 pm
You are absolutely right, ps. College is a wonderful time to explore.
posted August 20, 2009 at 9:31 pm
“”Other things have become more immediate or important,” she said. “If I have a paper due, that’s what I’m worrying about.”"
Worry slanders every promise of the Bible.
posted August 20, 2009 at 11:07 pm
You mean like this one:
The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it. — Proverbs 30:17
posted August 20, 2009 at 11:58 pm
Or this one:
And ye shall eat the flesh of your sons, and the flesh of your daughters shall ye eat. — Leviticus 26:29
posted August 21, 2009 at 8:08 am
Oh, so now, nnmns, you are taking some of the figurative language of the Bible literally. Who would have thought you would take the Bible literally!
posted August 21, 2009 at 10:42 am
Well WC some say there’s no “figurative” language in the Bible. Every word is “gospel”. Of course they pick and choose what parts they pay attention to.
But GC spoke about “every promise of the Bible” and those sure look like promises of the Bible.
posted August 21, 2009 at 6:08 pm
nnmns when folk tread on ground they know nothing about some respond like you and then there is the civil human. The more you speak in such a derogatory way about things you know nothing about the further they move from your grasp.
posted August 21, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Nnmns you made some good points, and there is much to learn from the Bible, and much to read and leave behind, as well. I believe the Holy Spirit gives understanding to each in the way that is supposed to be understood.
posted August 21, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Atheists need not apply.
So reads the sign on the Faithful Theologians shop.
If I denied you existed, would I then quote your writings in argument against you?
The audacity of atheistic absurdity.
posted August 22, 2009 at 10:52 pm
Education leads to questioning. So religious education, just like scientific education or literary education leads to questioning. What you once knew will no longer be sufficient to accomplish greater goals. If that means that some of the Sunday School easy-to-digest lessons suddenly become less palatable, that is a good thing.
Anything less than this is not education, it’s insulation.
posted August 23, 2009 at 12:03 am
So GC and ck are saying their gods caused the Bible to be written so as to educate humanity (right, guys?) but that it can’t be read accurately without training at their respective institutions.
And if I spent enough time and bucks at your institutions I guess I’m supposed to become disposed to ignore the silliness (not to mention the seriously bad stuff) in the Bible.
Well I don’t have the time, the bucks or the inclination but I do have access to the Bible so I think I’ll keep embarrassing y’all with the contents of your holy book. But thanks anyway.
posted August 23, 2009 at 12:23 am
nnmns you only embarrass yourself you never had the power to embarrass me, that’ s either narcissism, ego or just plain foolishness
posted August 23, 2009 at 1:07 am
“you never had the power to embarrass me”
I never needed to, but you embarrass yourself by your worship of that faulty book. Just admit it has some faults and some bad spots and you won’t need to worry about what comes up from the parts you folks generally ignore.
This is getting pretty juvenile so I’m off. See you around.
posted August 23, 2009 at 7:50 pm
nnmns quote, ” Just admit it has some faults”
I guess snakes do come in all shapes and sizes.
posted August 24, 2009 at 7:19 pm
“”…This is getting pretty juvenile so I’m off…”"”
If you believed this to be below you, why do you even bother?
I believe I know.
Atheism presupposes theism, which presupposes GOD.
Atheism is empty reactionary rhetoric.
That’s all it can possibly be.
posted August 24, 2009 at 8:31 pm
“Atheism is empty reactionary rhetoric: GC
And Christianity is???????
posted August 28, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Christianity is Christ, who said;
“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE. NO ONE COMES TO THE FATHER BUT THROUGH ME”.
If “Lit 101″ taught this, the world would be sweeter.
posted August 29, 2009 at 4:59 pm
If folks of all the world’s faiths/religions had the good sense to realize that theirs isn’t the only one that is “TRUE” and were accepting and tolerant of the others faiths/religions in the world, this world would be sweeter. Lit 101 could teach that. There is NOT ONE TRUE RELIGION OR FAITH. All are equal, none superior. All deserve respect. For those who are not believers in a particular faith, the same respect should be given.
Many wars could have been prevented as well, since many have been fought “in the name of GOD! “.
Another point…the folks inside the same religions can’t agree on their own “beliefs”. Much easier to be a non-believer IMO.
Your statement, GC, is only true if one happens to be a Christian. It is only valid for them. The other faiths and beliefs are just as valid. There are many “Fathers” and Mothers, for that matter.
posted September 2, 2009 at 11:28 pm
“”..Your statement, GC, is only true if one happens to be a Christian…”"
It is true now and always will be true and you would do well to believe in God’s truth and live righteously or perish with the alternative.
You are proclaiming lies, deceiving the unwary.
There is a big price to pay for this.
Please, turn away from this madness and fall at the feet of Jesus your Redeemer.
posted September 3, 2009 at 1:12 pm
GC, I’m so totally not worried about any “big price” for not believing as you do.
As to “proclaiming lies, deceiving the unwary(?)… Each person has their own mind to think and choose to believe or not, as they wish. I actually could say that you are the one “proclaiming lies, deceiving the unwary”. It holds just as true as your saying that I’m doing so. Why are your beliefs the only way to think/believe? They’re not, or there wouldn’t be as many religions on this earth…who are just a valid as yours. Guess what? Quoting the bible doesn’t make your religion true. Others quote their holy books to try and convince folks that they have the way to believe etc. So handing me passages or rhetoric isn’t very convincing. I’d have to believe that book was special, or even better than all the other holy books out there…and I don’t happen to believe any are totally true.
posted September 3, 2009 at 1:15 pm
The above is addressed to GC, as I’m assuming the “your name” was his post. If not, then “your name” is the correct address. :0)