How did Theodore Dreiser's parents' religious backgrounds differ?

Theodore Dreiser’s parents held contrasting religious views that significantly influenced his upbringing and later perspectives on faith. His father, a German immigrant, was a devout follower of a stern and narrow form of Roman Catholicism. In contrast, his mother possessed a gentle and compassionate outlook rooted in her Czech Mennonite background.1

Dreiser eventually came to associate his father’s rigid religious adherence with the man's perceived ineffectuality and the family's persistent struggle with poverty. Conversely, he maintained a deep and lasting affection for his mother throughout his life.1