Education Insights • 2024 • Volume 2 • Issue 1 40 Saints.”2 Horwitz’s mixed methods study reveals the benefits of religion for particular groups, without ignoring socioeconomic factors; i.e., her research is presented in a tiered way that points out the significance of economics. Horwitz states, “My central argument is that an upbringing of religious restraints affects the quantity and quality of education.”3 She utilizes the term “Abiders,” borrowed from scholars Lisa Pearce and Melinda Denton, to refer to “adolescents who are intensely religious” and who “say they believe and belong.”4 Abiders do as the root word describes; they abide. They abide because they want to please God. This abiding by school rules and regulations helps them transition and earn better grades even though they may not be as smart as their peers. Why? Teachers appreciate obedience. God appreciates obedience. The obedience to God carries over to an obedience in school. In this work Horwitz lays out directions for affluent parents, poses phenomenal questions, provides helpful statistics, and supports her argument with a plethora of data. In addition, the stories of student lives help to make relevant correlations that are intriguing and help to enhance her study. This book is worth reading and engaging and can be a great tool for schools and professionals looking to grow in their understanding of how grades and religion correlate. 2 Ilana M. Horwitz, God, Grades, and Graduation: Religion’s Surprising Impact on Academic Success (Oxford University Press, 2022), 10. 3 Horwitz, God, Grades, and Graduation, 16. 4 Horwitz, God, Grades, and Graduation, 13-14.
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