A new report from Public Religion Research Institute concludes that parental divorce plays a negative role in a child’s religious identity. Titled Exodus, the report examines “Why Americans Are Leaving Religion—and Why They’re Unlikely to Come Back,” in the words of the subtitle.

“Americans who were raised by divorced parents are more likely than children whose parents were married during most of their formative years to be religiously unaffiliated (35 percent vs. 23 percent respectively),” the report notes. Divorce also negatively impacts a child’s attendance of religious services. Even adult children of divorce who are religiously affiliated attend weekly religious services at a lower rate (31 percent) than adults whose parents stayed married (43 percent).

In an interview with The Washington Post, Andrew Root, author of The Children of Divorce, offers an explanation why. “Everything in a divorce gets divided. Literally everything. Parents’ friends get divided. Relatives get divided. Everyone takes sides,” Root says. “Even religion takes sides. The church gets divided. Dad leaves Mom’s faith, or vice versa. Negotiating those worlds becomes difficult.”

The decision to divorce has ramifications not only for the couple but also for their children. There is a correlation between the rising divorce rates of previous decades and the lack of religious affiliation among younger adults (ages 18 to 29). Ministering in the wake of divorce is challenging, but it is also an opportunity to demonstrate God’s love to children at risk of losing their connection to Him. What is your church doing to minister to the children of divorce?