ABSTRACT
The previous chapter has demonstrated that the family has a key impact on developing religious identity, but that other influences and pressures become significant as children grow older. Friends and peers constitute an important part of young people's social environments and are among these other influences. This chapter explores friendship patterns among Youth On Religion (YOR) participants, examining the levels of mutual understanding and knowledge these reflect. The question of whether some friendships are closer and more durable than others is also considered. Furthermore, do friends and peers contribute to informal education on the diverse faith positions found in the research areas?
