ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that more religious questions ought to be included in the questionnaires. The religious story develops out of the family story. The religious story then comes together for young people through their family stories, their school stories, and their experience stories. The spouse's religious story is the crucial factor shaping the self's religious story if both spouses are satisfied with their sexual relationship. The religious story of the spouse in such a relationship is six times more powerful than any previous individual variable. Religiously important friends and high quality sermons make an important contribution to the development of the religious imagination but even if the sermons are excellent and the friends are important, a gracious spouse almost doubles the influence of both friends and sermons. The religious quality of the life of the family of origin was therefore an important factor in shaping a young person's religious story, but no more important than an intense religious experience.
