The vast majority of American Christians were raised in the faith—and most can point to the influence of their moms. In a 2023 study, the American Bible Society found that a majority of believers remain in the same religious tradition as their mothers.
This agrees with a large body of mainstream social science research dating back to the 1970s that says the active faith of mothers is a strong predictor of religious transmission. Some of this may be attributed to the natural bond children have with their mothers. But there is also research that shows that moms take a more active role in faith formation in America.
For every 100 Americans raised by Protestant mothers:
99% of Christian teenagers talk about God with their mothers
71% of Christian teenagers read the Bible with their mothers
70% of Christian teenagers pray with their mothers
63% of Christian teenagers say their mothers encourage them to go to church
62% share the same faith tradition as adults
19% have no religion
11% joined another Christian tradition
4% are now Catholic
4% are other
