How Evangelical Families Are Strengthened By Faith

Carl Trueman recently wrote, "The family is a mess. Religious institutions lack authority. The nation-state is no longer a source of unity but a theater of conflict in which we fight about what is and is not America. . . . And yet that basic human need to belong persists . . ."  In addition to the "basic human need to belong," William James identified a profound human need for faith that he conceptualized as "the will to believe." According to a 2018 Gallup Poll, about 40% of Americans self-identify as Evangelical or "born again" Christians. American Evangelical Christians generally report that one primary conviction of their faith is a strong belief in the Bible -- the Protestant roots of sola scriptura, scriptura sola ("only scripture and scripture alone"). The other deep faith commitment is the striving for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. In this article, we explore how these specific aspects of faith among Evangelical Christians reportedly influence their family life and family interactions.