RELIGIOUS SOCIALIZATION, DENOMINATIONAL MILIEUS, AND GENERATIONS

The decay of denominational milieus and the decreasing success of religious socialization are processes often observed. This article first analyzes the relationship between the religiosity of parents and their children in two successive generations. In a second step religious homophily of non-kin ties between individuals who belong either to the pre-war or the post-war generation are compared. In accordance with secularization theory a declining proportion of religious individuals can be observed. At the same time the data show an intensification of religious socialization within the family and a growing tendency toward religiously homogenous ties. Thus, the empirical results suggest an intergenerational increase in religious homophily both in kin and non-kin relationships.