Parents are top influence in teens remaining active in religion as young adults

Mothers and fathers who practice what they preach and preach what they practice are far and away the biggest influence related to adolescents keeping the faith into their twenties, according to new findings from a landmark study of youth and religion.

Just 1 percent of teens age 15 to 17 raised by parents who attached little importance to religion were highly religious in their mid to late twenties.

In contrast, 82 percent of children raised by parents who talked about faith at home, attached great importance to their beliefs, and were active in their congregations were religiously active as young adults, according to data from the latest wave of the National Study of Youth and Religion.