Ask people these 275 religion questions for storytelling.
I have interviewed hundreds of people about their religion, believes, and spiritual preferences and practices. Based on the answers I received in those interviews, I have put together writing prompts and questions about religion to ask people when writing narratives. The religion series includes five categories: childhood, teenager, young adult, adult, and senior adult years. Use these prompts and questions to help you
- Identify events and memories you can write about
- Organize and write your narrative and story
- Develop questions to ask other people about their life’s
- Organize, research and write stories about others
- Know what type of information to include in narratives and stories
- Identify memorabilia, artifacts, photos, documents to include in stories
- Develop ideas for journaling, story starters, poetry, memoirs, and more
Writing Prompts and Questions to Ask People
The “Religion” writing prompts and questions to ask people are part of the 28 articles, 108 category series entitled “7,500-plus Questions About Life to Ask People When Writing Narratives.” The prompts and questions about religion are provided to help you look at religion from as many angles as possible when writing narratives about yourself, your family, and others. The categories and types of topics covered include:
- Childhood Religion (Age 0-11). Find 55 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover religious beliefs, practices, preferences, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Teenager Religion (Age 11-18). Find 55 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover religious beliefs, practices, preferences, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Young Adult Religion (Age 18-25). Find 55 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover religious beliefs, practices, preferences, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Adult Religion (Age 25-65). Find 55 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover religious beliefs, practices, preferences, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
- Senior Adult Religion (Age 65+). Find 55 questions and prompts. Use these prompts and questions to gather and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. These questions cover religious beliefs, practices, preferences, including your thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Approach each topic from the point of view of the person/lives you are writing about. You don’t have to ask every question about religion. Instead, review the questions and determine which ones are most appropriate to ask. I would encourage you to modify and add questions as you desire.
I have prepared a couple of other resources that will provide value in interviewing for and writing individual, personal, and family narratives: “Complete Guide for Conducting Oral History Interviews” and “Complete Guide to Writing A Personal Narrative.”
Childhood Religion Questions (Age 0-11)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Religion
“Childhood Religion (Age 0-11)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Religion. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Would you consider yourself religious?
• Explain. - Do you or did you belong to a religion?
• Which religion?
• Do you member how you were introduced to the religion? - What were your experiences in the religion at this time of life?
- How did religion shape your life?
• What are your more memorable experiences in religion?
• What did you like and dislike about religion?
• What activities have you participated in religion?
• How have you served others through your religion? - Did you ever belong to a church organization, service group?
• What are your most memorable experiences? - What is the history of religion for your family growing up?
- How have you introduced religion to your current family?
- What there ever a time where religion caused you grief or sadness?
• Describe the experiences?
• How did the experience change your attitude about religion?
• From that point on, what did religion mean to you? - Who would you consider to be the most influential people as part of your religious experience?
- What are your most cherished religious beliefs?
- How has religion shaped your values? Explain.
- How has religion shaped your personality? Explain.
- What role has religion played in your life?
- Who introduced you to religion?
• What was the experience?
• What were the pros and cons of the experience?
• What are your favorite memories? - Was there a time when either considered or joined another religion?
• What was your religion at the time you considered or joined a new religion?
• What prompted you to consider leaving your religion?
• How were you introduce to the new religion?
• What about religion interested you?
• What were teachings of the new religion important to you?
• Can you share the experience of your learning about the new religion?
• What were the important people that helped to influence you?
• Talk about each person and what they did or say to influence you?
• What caused you to decide to join the church?
• Were you baptized into the church? Share the experience?
• Talk about the first year and memorable experiences?
• How did your family feel about joining the church?
• Share your experience with family?
• What was it like to join the new congregation?
• Share your experiences?
• How did the new religion influence your life?
• How did the experience evolve?
• What become the most important beliefs? - What were the most important religious traditions that your family followed?
- Did you belong to any religious clubs, associations, movements, groups?
• What were the groups?
• What was your experience?
• What are your memories of the experience?
• What did you like and dislike?
• How did your association with the groups influence your future? How? - Where do you currently worship with a congregation?
• What day of the week do you worship?
• Describe a typical worship service?
• Describe the building?
• What do you like and dislike about the congregation?
• What are your favorite memories?
• Do you serve in any compacity of service in the congregation?
• Share your experiences in service?
• What religious experiences have you had with the congregation?
• How has the congregation influenced your life?
• How has the congregation influenced your family?
• Has there ever been a time when you had a negative experience in this congregation?
• Can you share that experience? What was the outcome of the experience? - Did your religion teach any religious text like the Bible, Koran, Talmud, Book of Mormon, or another book or doctrine?
• Which one?
• Who was it written by, and what does it teach?
• What would you consider the most critical text? Why? - How would you describe your relationship with God, Jesus, deity or others?
• What does God, Jesus, deity, other mean to you?
• Do you have communication like pray?
• Describe your experience as it relates to this communication?
• How would you describe your private worship?
• Have you ever felt like you were inspired or prompted by your communication?
• What was the experience? How did you respond? Describe the experience.
• Do you believe your communication/prayers were answered?
• Can you share the experience? - Have you ever been involved in ministry?
• What was the experience in ministry?
• Describe the experience?
• Were you working with others in this ministry that inspired you?
• Who were these people? Describe your experience
• What was your role in the ministry?
• What was challenging about the ministry?
• What were your memorable experiences?
• Did you do any traveling with your ministry? Explain. - Have you ever been a missionary for your church?
• How did you decide to become a missionary?
• Describe the experience?
• What are your memorable experiences?
• Did you ever have any challenges? Explain.
• What did you like and dislike? - Has religion ever conflicted with you and others?
• What was the conflict?
• How did the conflict start?
• How did the conflict evolve?
• What was the outcome of the conflict?
• How did it change or influence you or others? - Ever have any arguments or discussions over the issue of religion with your family?
• Describe one.
• Was the issue ever resolved? - What is your belief about life after death?
• Describe your belief? - Do you read or listen to religious material?
• What do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
• What has been your most favorite read? Explain.
• Who do you listen to? Explain.
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about religion.
Teenager Religion (Age 11-18)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Religion
“Teenage Religion (Age 11-18)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Religion. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Would you consider yourself religious?
• Explain. - Do you or did you belong to a religion?
• Which religion?
• Do you member how you were introduced to the religion? - What were your experiences in the religion at this time of life?
- How did religion shape your life?
• What are your more memorable experiences in religion?
• What did you like and dislike about religion?
• What activities have you participated in religion?
• How have you served others through your religion? - Did you ever belong to a church organization, service group?
• What are your most memorable experiences? - What is the history of religion for your family growing up?
- How have you introduced religion to your current family?
- What there ever a time where religion caused you grief or sadness?
• Describe the experiences?
• How did the experience change your attitude about religion?
• From that point on, what did religion mean to you? - Who would you consider to be the most influential people as part of your religious experience?
- What are your most cherished religious beliefs?
- How has religion shaped your values? Explain.
- How has religion shaped your personality? Explain.
- What role has religion played in your life?
- Who introduced you to religion?
• What was the experience?
• What were the pros and cons of the experience?
• What are your favorite memories? - Was there a time when either considered or joined another religion?
• What was your religion at the time you considered or joined a new religion?
• What prompted you to consider leaving your religion?
• How were you introduce to the new religion?
• What about religion interested you?
• What were teachings of the new religion important to you?
• Can you share the experience of your learning about the new religion?
• What were the important people that helped to influence you?
• Talk about each person and what they did or say to influence you?
• What caused you to decide to join the church?
• Were you baptized into the church? Share the experience?
• Talk about the first year and memorable experiences?
• How did your family feel about joining the church?
• Share your experience with family?
• What was it like to join the new congregation?
• Share your experiences?
• How did the new religion influence your life?
• How did the experience evolve?
• What become the most important beliefs? - What were the most important religious traditions that your family followed?
- Did you belong to any religious clubs, associations, movements, groups?
• What were the groups?
• What was your experience?
• What are your memories of the experience?
• What did you like and dislike?
• How did your association with the groups influence your future? How? - Where do you currently worship with a congregation?
• What day of the week do you worship?
• Describe a typical worship service?
• Describe the building?
• What do you like and dislike about the congregation?
• What are your favorite memories?
• Do you serve in any compacity of service in the congregation?
• Share your experiences in service?
• What religious experiences have you had with the congregation?
• How has the congregation influenced your life?
• How has the congregation influenced your family?
• Has there ever been a time when you had a negative experience in this congregation?
• Can you share that experience? What was the outcome of the experience? - Did your religion teach any religious text like the Bible, Koran, Talmud, Book of Mormon, or another book or doctrine?
• Which one?
• Who was it written by, and what does it teach?
• What would you consider the most critical text? Why? - How would you describe your relationship with God, Jesus, deity or others?
• What does God, Jesus, deity, other mean to you?
• Do you have communication like pray?
• Describe your experience as it relates to this communication?
• How would you describe your private worship?
• Have you ever felt like you were inspired or prompted by your communication?
• What was the experience? How did you respond? Describe the experience.
• Do you believe your communication/prayers were answered?
• Can you share the experience? - Have you ever been involved in ministry?
• What was the experience in ministry?
• Describe the experience?
• Were you working with others in this ministry that inspired you?
• Who were these people? Describe your experience
• What was your role in the ministry?
• What was challenging about the ministry?
• What were your memorable experiences?
• Did you do any traveling with your ministry? Explain. - Have you ever been a missionary for your church?
• How did you decide to become a missionary?
• Describe the experience?
• What are your memorable experiences?
• Did you ever have any challenges? Explain.
• What did you like and dislike? - Has religion ever conflicted with you and others?
• What was the conflict?
• How did the conflict start?
• How did the conflict evolve?
• What was the outcome of the conflict?
• How did it change or influence you or others? - Ever have any arguments or discussions over the issue of religion with your family?
• Describe one.
• Was the issue ever resolved? - What is your belief about life after death?
• Describe your belief? - Do you read or listen to religious material?
• What do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
• What has been your most favorite read? Explain.
• Who do you listen to? Explain.
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about religion.
Young Adult Religion (Age 18-25)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Religion
“Young Adult Religion (Age 18-25)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Religion. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Would you consider yourself religious?
• Explain. - Do you or did you belong to a religion?
• Which religion?
• Do you member how you were introduced to the religion? - What were your experiences in the religion at this time of life?
- How did religion shape your life?
• What are your more memorable experiences in religion?
• What did you like and dislike about religion?
• What activities have you participated in religion?
• How have you served others through your religion? - Did you ever belong to a church organization, service group?
• What are your most memorable experiences? - What is the history of religion for your family growing up?
- How have you introduced religion to your current family?
- What there ever a time where religion caused you grief or sadness?
• Describe the experiences?
• How did the experience change your attitude about religion?
• From that point on, what did religion mean to you? - Who would you consider to be the most influential people as part of your religious experience?
- What are your most cherished religious beliefs?
- How has religion shaped your values? Explain.
- How has religion shaped your personality? Explain.
- What role has religion played in your life?
- Who introduced you to religion?
• What was the experience?
• What were the pros and cons of the experience?
• What are your favorite memories? - Was there a time when either considered or joined another religion?
• What was your religion at the time you considered or joined a new religion?
• What prompted you to consider leaving your religion?
• How were you introduce to the new religion?
• What about religion interested you?
• What were teachings of the new religion important to you?
• Can you share the experience of your learning about the new religion?
• What were the important people that helped to influence you?
• Talk about each person and what they did or say to influence you?
• What caused you to decide to join the church?
• Were you baptized into the church? Share the experience?
• Talk about the first year and memorable experiences?
• How did your family feel about joining the church?
• Share your experience with family?
• What was it like to join the new congregation?
• Share your experiences?
• How did the new religion influence your life?
• How did the experience evolve?
• What become the most important beliefs? - What were the most important religious traditions that your family followed?
- Did you belong to any religious clubs, associations, movements, groups?
• What were the groups?
• What was your experience?
• What are your memories of the experience?
• What did you like and dislike?
• How did your association with the groups influence your future? How? - Where do you currently worship with a congregation?
• What day of the week do you worship?
• Describe a typical worship service?
• Describe the building?
• What do you like and dislike about the congregation?
• What are your favorite memories?
• Do you serve in any compacity of service in the congregation?
• Share your experiences in service?
• What religious experiences have you had with the congregation?
• How has the congregation influenced your life?
• How has the congregation influenced your family?
• Has there ever been a time when you had a negative experience in this congregation?
• Can you share that experience? What was the outcome of the experience? - Did your religion teach any religious text like the Bible, Koran, Talmud, Book of Mormon, or another book or doctrine?
• Which one?
• Who was it written by, and what does it teach?
• What would you consider the most critical text? Why? - How would you describe your relationship with God, Jesus, deity or others?
• What does God, Jesus, deity, other mean to you?
• Do you have communication like pray?
• Describe your experience as it relates to this communication?
• How would you describe your private worship?
• Have you ever felt like you were inspired or prompted by your communication?
• What was the experience? How did you respond? Describe the experience.
• Do you believe your communication/prayers were answered?
• Can you share the experience? - Have you ever been involved in ministry?
• What was the experience in ministry?
• Describe the experience?
• Were you working with others in this ministry that inspired you?
• Who were these people? Describe your experience
• What was your role in the ministry?
• What was challenging about the ministry?
• What were your memorable experiences?
• Did you do any traveling with your ministry? Explain. - Have you ever been a missionary for your church?
• How did you decide to become a missionary?
• Describe the experience?
• What are your memorable experiences?
• Did you ever have any challenges? Explain.
• What did you like and dislike? - Has religion ever conflicted with you and others?
• What was the conflict?
• How did the conflict start?
• How did the conflict evolve?
• What was the outcome of the conflict?
• How did it change or influence you or others? - Ever have any arguments or discussions over the issue of religion with your family?
• Describe one.
• Was the issue ever resolved? - What is your belief about life after death?
• Describe your belief? - Do you read or listen to religious material?
• What do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
• What has been your most favorite read? Explain.
• Who do you listen to? Explain.
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about religion.
Adult Religion (Age 25-65)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Religion
“Adult Religion (Age 25-65)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Religion. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Would you consider yourself religious?
• Explain. - Do you or did you belong to a religion?
• Which religion?
• Do you member how you were introduced to the religion? - What were your experiences in the religion at this time of life?
- How did religion shape your life?
• What are your more memorable experiences in religion?
• What did you like and dislike about religion?
• What activities have you participated in religion?
• How have you served others through your religion? - Did you ever belong to a church organization, service group?
• What are your most memorable experiences? - What is the history of religion for your family growing up?
- How have you introduced religion to your current family?
- What there ever a time where religion caused you grief or sadness?
• Describe the experiences?
• How did the experience change your attitude about religion?
• From that point on, what did religion mean to you? - Who would you consider to be the most influential people as part of your religious experience?
- What are your most cherished religious beliefs?
- How has religion shaped your values? Explain.
- How has religion shaped your personality? Explain.
- What role has religion played in your life?
- Who introduced you to religion?
• What was the experience?
• What were the pros and cons of the experience?
• What are your favorite memories? - Was there a time when either considered or joined another religion?
• What was your religion at the time you considered or joined a new religion?
• What prompted you to consider leaving your religion?
• How were you introduce to the new religion?
• What about religion interested you?
• What were teachings of the new religion important to you?
• Can you share the experience of your learning about the new religion?
• What were the important people that helped to influence you?
• Talk about each person and what they did or say to influence you?
• What caused you to decide to join the church?
• Were you baptized into the church? Share the experience?
• Talk about the first year and memorable experiences?
• How did your family feel about joining the church?
• Share your experience with family?
• What was it like to join the new congregation?
• Share your experiences?
• How did the new religion influence your life?
• How did the experience evolve?
• What become the most important beliefs? - What were the most important religious traditions that your family followed?
- Did you belong to any religious clubs, associations, movements, groups?
• What were the groups?
• What was your experience?
• What are your memories of the experience?
• What did you like and dislike?
• How did your association with the groups influence your future? How? - Where do you currently worship with a congregation?
• What day of the week do you worship?
• Describe a typical worship service?
• Describe the building?
• What do you like and dislike about the congregation?
• What are your favorite memories?
• Do you serve in any compacity of service in the congregation?
• Share your experiences in service?
• What religious experiences have you had with the congregation?
• How has the congregation influenced your life?
• How has the congregation influenced your family?
• Has there ever been a time when you had a negative experience in this congregation?
• Can you share that experience? What was the outcome of the experience? - Did your religion teach any religious text like the Bible, Koran, Talmud, Book of Mormon, or another book or doctrine?
• Which one?
• Who was it written by, and what does it teach?
• What would you consider the most critical text? Why? - How would you describe your relationship with God, Jesus, deity or others?
• What does God, Jesus, deity, other mean to you?
• Do you have communication like pray?
• Describe your experience as it relates to this communication?
• How would you describe your private worship?
• Have you ever felt like you were inspired or prompted by your communication?
• What was the experience? How did you respond? Describe the experience.
• Do you believe your communication/prayers were answered?
• Can you share the experience? - Have you ever been involved in ministry?
• What was the experience in ministry?
• Describe the experience?
• Were you working with others in this ministry that inspired you?
• Who were these people? Describe your experience
• What was your role in the ministry?
• What was challenging about the ministry?
• What were your memorable experiences?
• Did you do any traveling with your ministry? Explain. - Have you ever been a missionary for your church?
• How did you decide to become a missionary?
• Describe the experience?
• What are your memorable experiences?
• Did you ever have any challenges? Explain.
• What did you like and dislike? - Has religion ever conflicted with you and others?
• What was the conflict?
• How did the conflict start?
• How did the conflict evolve?
• What was the outcome of the conflict?
• How did it change or influence you or others? - Ever have any arguments or discussions over the issue of religion with your family?
• Describe one.
• Was the issue ever resolved? - What is your belief about life after death?
• Describe your belief? - Do you read or listen to religious material?
• What do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
• What has been your most favorite read? Explain.
• Who do you listen to? Explain.
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about religion.
Senior Adult Religion (Age 65+)
Writing Prompts and Questions About Religion
“Senior Adult Religion (Age 65+)” is part of the series for writing prompts and questions about Religion. Use these questions to ask, gather, and organize information to help you write narratives about yourself, your family, and others. If you are writing about a deceased person, think of the questions as if you were the person answering the questions.
- Would you consider yourself religious?
• Explain. - Do you or did you belong to a religion?
• Which religion?
• Do you member how you were introduced to the religion? - What were your experiences in the religion at this time of life?
- How did religion shape your life?
• What are your more memorable experiences in religion?
• What did you like and dislike about religion?
• What activities have you participated in religion?
• How have you served others through your religion? - Did you ever belong to a church organization, service group?
• What are your most memorable experiences? - What is the history of religion for your family growing up?
- How have you introduced religion to your current family?
- What there ever a time where religion caused you grief or sadness?
• Describe the experiences?
• How did the experience change your attitude about religion?
• From that point on, what did religion mean to you? - Who would you consider to be the most influential people as part of your religious experience?
- What are your most cherished religious beliefs?
- How has religion shaped your values? Explain.
- How has religion shaped your personality? Explain.
- What role has religion played in your life?
- Who introduced you to religion?
• What was the experience?
• What were the pros and cons of the experience?
• What are your favorite memories? - Was there a time when either considered or joined another religion?
• What was your religion at the time you considered or joined a new religion?
• What prompted you to consider leaving your religion?
• How were you introduce to the new religion?
• What about religion interested you?
• What were teachings of the new religion important to you?
• Can you share the experience of your learning about the new religion?
• What were the important people that helped to influence you?
• Talk about each person and what they did or say to influence you?
• What caused you to decide to join the church?
• Were you baptized into the church? Share the experience?
• Talk about the first year and memorable experiences?
• How did your family feel about joining the church?
• Share your experience with family?
• What was it like to join the new congregation?
• Share your experiences?
• How did the new religion influence your life?
• How did the experience evolve?
• What become the most important beliefs? - What were the most important religious traditions that your family followed?
- Did you belong to any religious clubs, associations, movements, groups?
• What were the groups?
• What was your experience?
• What are your memories of the experience?
• What did you like and dislike?
• How did your association with the groups influence your future? How? - Where do you currently worship with a congregation?
• What day of the week do you worship?
• Describe a typical worship service?
• Describe the building?
• What do you like and dislike about the congregation?
• What are your favorite memories?
• Do you serve in any compacity of service in the congregation?
• Share your experiences in service?
• What religious experiences have you had with the congregation?
• How has the congregation influenced your life?
• How has the congregation influenced your family?
• Has there ever been a time when you had a negative experience in this congregation?
• Can you share that experience? What was the outcome of the experience? - Did your religion teach any religious text like the Bible, Koran, Talmud, Book of Mormon, or another book or doctrine?
• Which one?
• Who was it written by, and what does it teach?
• What would you consider the most critical text? Why? - How would you describe your relationship with God, Jesus, deity or others?
• What does God, Jesus, deity, other mean to you?
• Do you have communication like pray?
• Describe your experience as it relates to this communication?
• How would you describe your private worship?
• Have you ever felt like you were inspired or prompted by your communication?
• What was the experience? How did you respond? Describe the experience.
• Do you believe your communication/prayers were answered?
• Can you share the experience? - Have you ever been involved in ministry?
• What was the experience in ministry?
• Describe the experience?
• Were you working with others in this ministry that inspired you?
• Who were these people? Describe your experience
• What was your role in the ministry?
• What was challenging about the ministry?
• What were your memorable experiences?
• Did you do any traveling with your ministry? Explain. - Have you ever been a missionary for your church?
• How did you decide to become a missionary?
• Describe the experience?
• What are your memorable experiences?
• Did you ever have any challenges? Explain.
• What did you like and dislike? - Has religion ever conflicted with you and others?
• What was the conflict?
• How did the conflict start?
• How did the conflict evolve?
• What was the outcome of the conflict?
• How did it change or influence you or others? - Ever have any arguments or discussions over the issue of religion with your family?
• Describe one.
• Was the issue ever resolved? - What is your belief about life after death?
• Describe your belief? - Do you read or listen to religious material?
• What do you read? Do you have a favorite author?
• What has been your most favorite read? Explain.
• Who do you listen to? Explain.
Click Here to return to the writing prompts and questions about religion.