I recall that my dad used to advised that, when visiting, to talk about the weather. What he meant was that controversial subjects were to be avoided. Politics... Religion... Perhaps knowing that these subjects will spark debate - or worse, arguments - during a family get together is trouble and, sure, I wouldn't want you to create an uncomfortable situation at a gathering. But then he was of the Silent Generation, and the Silent Generation wasn't talking about a whole lot.
Things have changed, at least in some places and sometimes.
I can say that it came as a relief to learn that my ancestors were of various Christian denominations, which I wouldn't have suspected based on my upbringing. In my heritage - and I only know this because of genealogy research I have Roman Catholics, Greek Catholics, Reform Protestants (Calvinists), Lutherans, and also, it seems - some would say this doesn't fit the religion category - a Mason.
And so maybe getting a conversation going with relatives about ancestral religious or spiritual beliefs starts with past rather than the present.
It could be that you can't find what you need in the church records of the assumed Faith because those ancestors were converts or belonged to another religion. And got buried in a churchyard or Faith based cemetery.
And it seems like everyone in past generations belonged to some church or temple or organization ...
QUESTIONS
Was John baptized? Who were his godparents?
Did he take part in rituals such as Communion, Confirmation?
Did John belong to a church as a teenager, as an adult?
Did he sing in a choir?
Did he do volunteer work for the church?
Was he devout? Or Religious. (Did he consider becoming a priest or minister or monk?)
Did he change religions? If so, why and when? (Some families simply went to the closest church, wherever they moved to. Perhaps John was in a cult?)
Did he get married in a church? How was it decided where he would marry?
Did he have children? Were they raised in a religion? (This might bring up some different responses if the marriage was a "mixed marriage." For instance, perhaps the children were allowed to join a different church or make up their own minds about spirituality as adults,
Where is he buried? (Is this a Faith based cemetery?) or was he cremated? Where are his ashes?
These questions can always spark a departure in the conversation. Back when I took Anthropology 101, it was noted that the definition of religion was "a way of life." Life in America has changed. Regular attendance at church services was normal for many people prior to the changes of the 1960's. Today many have decided that church is not for them. As genealogists, we are looking for church records in addition to or instead of civil records to find our ancestors.
C 2025 Ancestry Worship - Genealogy BlogSpot
