Finnish Confirmation Training in Religious Biographies

Abstract

Several recent studies have examined religious biographies, i.e. individual religious trajectories. However, little research has been conducted on the relevance of single life events in religious biographies, such as religious rites of passage. One such rite of passage, confirmation training, has preserved its popularity in Finland despite declining church membership. The aim of this study, therefore, was to examine the relevance of Finnish confirmation training in religious biographies. The data comprise 15 multigenerational family interviews (N = 54) conducted in 2019–2022. The study is part of an international research investigating religious transmission over generations. The findings indicate that confirmation training initiates a socialization process in relation to areas of faith, religious community, family heritage and cultural heritage. These relations comprise three types of movement: attachment, distancing, and stability/ irrelevance. The results demonstrate the complexity and uniqueness of religious biographies as individuals create distinctive religious trajectories and transitions.