title: Amazing grace: religion and identity among elderly black individuals.
abstract: A sample of forty-three "life stories" collected from elderly African-Americans residing in Southwestern Virginia is analyzed from the perspective of Continuity Theory. The focus is on the "theme" which religion plays as a bulwark of continuity in the lives of the respondents. The data reveal that religion serves at least seven significant and positive functions in the normal aging process of Black-Americans. As is customary, all names of respondents have been changed to protect their anonymity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sociology, Hollins College, Roanoke, VA 24020.
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Nye
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged / Q000523:psychology*; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007062:Identification, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012067:Religion; D014768:Virginia