I can think of no better way to start this New Year than to affirm our regular attendance in our houses of worship. I put first importance on our spiritual wellbeing, but did you know that scientific research has indicated many physical and emotional benefits as well?
An article on scribd.com reported on 52 reasons to go to church, including full references to the scientific research. I’ll share just what we have room for here.
“Reason No. 3: Happier Marriages. Can going to church improve your marriage? There is considerable evidence for this. Take for example, one study published in the Review of Religious Research in 1990. The study was conducted by M.G. Dudley and F.A. Kosinski. They tested 228 married Bible Christian couples for private religious practice (personal and family prayer, Bible reading), intrinsic religiosity (how the person feels about religion), and religious practice (going to church, witnessing, financial support). After controlling for a number of variants, the best predictor of happy marriage was found to be consistent religious practice — including attending church and personal and family devotion. This study is one of many that corroborate these findings across many faiths.
“Reason No. 4: Better Behaved Teenagers. A major study in 1998 reviewed religion’s role in reducing high-risk behavior among high school students. The study was conducted by J.M. Wallace and T.A. Forman at the University of Michigan. A random group of 5,000 students — a very large sample — from 135 American high schools was selected for the study. They also studied lifestyle behaviors such as diet, exercise and sleep patterns. The researchers found that church attendance was associated with fewer deliberate, potentially injurious behaviors, less substance abuse, and better lifestyle choices. Those who indicated religion was important to them were far less likely to have taken a gun to school.
“Reason No. 5: Better Personal Health. Church attendance has been shown in many studies to improve health. In 1987, researchers J.S. Levin and H.Y. Vanderpool at the University of Texas examined the validity and outcome of more than 27 studies on the impact of religion on health. They concluded that 20 of the 27 studies indicated a positive correlation between church attendance and health, even when factors were controlled. They noted that those who attended church often were healthier than those who went infrequently.
“Reason No. 6: A Longer Life. Is Billy Joel right? Is it true that only the good die young? Not according to one study reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology (the scientific and medical study of the causes and transmission of disease within a population). The study tracked social group activities and mortality in a study of 4,175 persons over the age of 38 in one U.S. county beginning in 1965. T.E. Seeman and his colleagues followed up on the group in 1982, 17 years after the initiation of the study, noting those who had passed away between 38 and 49 years of age. The researchers concluded that not being a member of a church was a strong predictor or premature death, even after controlling for age, sex, race, baseline health, smoking, physical activity, weight, depression and perceived health status. It also predicted earlier mortality for persons over 60 as found in similar studies for that age group
“Conclusion: Is going to church good for you? Is religion a fading phenomenon in America? Is it a relic of the past with no future? A TV-land view of America might lead us to conclude that religion has died out. It is true that church membership has dropped from a high of 75 percent in 1947 to a low of 65 percent recently. If this were an election, however, 65 percent would be considered a fairly substantial majority. It must also not be overlooked that there are still half a million churches, temples, and mosques in the United States. Belief in God, contrary to what many think, has remained quite stable. The authors of one study, entitled ‘Religion: The Forgotten Factor in Cutting Youth Crime and Saving At-Risk Urban Youth,’ wrote: ‘Belief in God remains the norm in America, with levels of belief ranging between 94 percent and 99 percent over the past five decades.’ Individually, the studies published in this book are interesting, but certainly they do not constitute proof of anything. Collectively, however these and dozens of other similar studies constitute a significant body of evidence that going to church is good — good for you, good for your health, good for your marriage, good for your children, good for your community, and good for your country. And the more you attend the better the results seem to be. What’s more, the good effects may last for generations. Many from time to time have wondered, ‘What can I do, as one person, to make this world a better place?’ Perhaps we have found one answer: Go to church!”
Well, I’m in! Are you?
[Kollmeyer is pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Fayetteville. Visit www.princeofpeacefayette.org.]
