Intergenerational and Personal Connectedness: Held Together in Christian Faith

Christianity is the predominant religious affiliation for Chinese Americans. The divide and loss of connectedness of cultural values between first and second generations has left both parties deeply grieved. Research has confirmed this intergenerational divide and the potential of Christian faith to help cohere the family unit. Notably, the influence of the new primary culture of Christianity may enable a way for the two generations to better understand one another. In addition to the church providing a new model for the strengthening of familial relationships, it is suggested that the enhanced ability for mentalization developed through one’s relationship with God and connecting self-states may also translate to the improvement of personal and family connectedness. This article presents a case of a second-generation Christian Chinese American woman who found links of connection with her first-generation immigrant parents and between the multiplicity of her identity through her Christian faith