The practice of religious conversion is fairly common in the United States. Roughly half of American adults have switched religious affiliation at least once in their lives, according to a 2009 study by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Though such a decision marks a major life change, the study found that most adults that did leave their childhood faith did so early — before the age of 24.
How do the processes of religious questioning and exploration manifest themselves at Tufts? University Chaplain David O’Leary said that he frequently counsels students who are beginning to doubt their faiths.
“Questioning is good. The more one questions, the more you’re making the faith your own instead of the faith of your parents or grandparents,” O’Leary said.
Before students elect to change faiths, O’Leary said it is important they have a handle on the religion in which they were raised.
“My biggest thing to ask before anyone changes is ‘Do they know their own tradition?'” he said. “A lot of people want to change, but they haven’t explored the faith they want to leave. My role is to make sure they explore the tradition they grew up in.”
Read the full story at the Tufts Daily.
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