The Religious Time Bind: U. S. Work Hours and Religion.

This article discusses the effect of time constraints faced by dual-career families on their religious lives. The authors consider two possible explanations for variations in religious observance by families in the U.S. Increases in religious participation are explained by the hypothesis that religious observance is a form of conspicuous consumption for dual-income families attempting to assert their social status. Declines in religious observance are explained by the possibility that time constraints will limit religious activities. The authors analyze data from the American Time Use Survey for 2003-2005. The authors did not find a trend in religious activity that verified either hypothesis consistently.