Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man

[elitespart]

What are some ways in which the same impulses which draw Stephen toward religion also help him decide to become a writer?

[HarryBergeron]

Stephen is not "drawn" to religion, in fact, he rejects it.

[Victoria2133]

Stephen is drawn to religion at first. He comes pretty close to dedicating his life to it. I'd say that if you're looking for similarities, you may want to explore his reasoning behind his attraction to religion and his attraction to aestheticism. I don't know that he is able to explain his attraction in either case - rather, it is something he feels. It's interesting that you describe them as "the same impulses" when aestheticism - or the desire to live only for his art - is what ultimately gives him the strength to pull away from religion.