The Diverging Beliefs and Practices of the Religiously Affiliated and Unaffiliated in the United States

Gullickson, Aaron

doi:10.15195/v5.a16

Cited by 3 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 11 publications

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“…Lim and Putnam (2010), as well as Lewis et al (2013), have found that active engagement in religious communities, rather than mere personal faith, significantly contributes to life satisfaction and civic engagement, highlighting the community aspect of religiosity over individual belief systems. While religious congregations have historically and continue to be centers of social life for millions of Americans, empirical observations consistently indicate a consistent rise in individuals identifying as religiously unaffiliated (Gullickson 2018;Fischer 2002, 2014;Putnam et al 2010;Smith 2021) alongside a downturn in religious observance and attendance at religious services (Brauer 2018;Chaves 2011;Inglehart 2020;Voas and Chaves 2016), potentially signaling a shift in the potency of religious congregations as social meeting places.…”

Section: Religion and Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion and Loneliness: Investigating Different Aspects of Religion and Dimensions of Loneliness

Gemar

2024

Religions

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This study explores the relationship between religiosity, spirituality, and loneliness in the United States, using the 2018 General Social Survey to assess their interactions against a backdrop of declining traditional religious affiliation and a rise in “spiritual but not religious” identification. It examines religion and spirituality’s capacity to counteract loneliness, a condition with significant health implications. The analysis uncovers complex relationships between aspects of religious life and loneliness, showing no mitigating role of spirituality when controlling for other factors, with complex and varied negative relationships of religious service attendance and self-rate religiosity to different aspects of loneliness. Yet, any potentially protective effect of religion varies, with minority religious groups reporting feelings of increased loneliness. These findings underscore religion and spirituality’s nuanced roles in emotional well-being, indicating that their benefits (or not) against loneliness are complex, varied, and depend on the aspect of religion or loneliness observed, along with non-religious factors. The paper contributes to the literature on societal loneliness, changing religious and spiritual engagements, and highlighting the need for a comprehensive approach to explore the role of religion and spirituality in understanding loneliness specifically, and personal and social well-being more generally.

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Section: Religion and Lonelinessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Religion and Loneliness: Investigating Different Aspects of Religion and Dimensions of Loneliness

Gemar

2024

Religions

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American Religion in the Era of Increasing Polarization

Perry

2022

Annu. Rev. Sociol.

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Americans are increasingly polarized by a variety of metrics. The dimensions, extent, causes, and consequences of that polarization have been the subject of much debate. Yet despite the centrality of religion to early discussions, the analytical focus on America's divides has largely shifted toward partisan identity, political ideology, race, and class interests. I show that religion remains powerfully implicated in all dimensions of American polarization, and sociologists must once again make religion more central to their analyses. After outlining research on American polarization, focusing on the role of religion, I survey findings within the burgeoning literatures on cultural transformation processes, (White) Christian nationalism, complex religion, and Americans’ attitudes toward science in order to underscore the centrality of ethno-religious identities, religious demography, and religious institutions for both shaping and exacerbating various forms of polarization. Lastly, I propose an agenda for elucidating religion's ongoing role in understanding polarization beyond public opinion research at the macro-, meso-, and micro-levels. Though polarization research has been dominated by political scientists, leveraging religion in our analyses—not merely as a sui generis variable, but as a site of complex social behavior—facilitates novel sociological contributions to these literatures via our relative attention to multiple levels of analysis, theoretical eclecticism, and methodological fluidity. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Sociology, Volume 48 is July 2022. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

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Observations about Holistic Care from the Experience of a Medical Student Shadowing a Chaplain

Krauss,

Carter

2024

Religions

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The project was initiated when a medical student expressed interest in shadowing a chaplain during their third-year clinical rotations. The Hospital Library Service supported this inquiry by providing readings about intentional programs and a medical practitioner spiritual screening for both the chaplain and student to review. By coordinating with the student’s medical supervision, different times were found throughout the day such that a variety of pastoral care instances could be observed. As part of the welcome extended to each patient, the chaplain introduced the medical student and obtained consent for them to be present during the care conversations that followed. These visits occurred over two months in the spring of 2024. This experience provided an opportunity for both the chaplain and student to reflect on the process of acknowledging, confirming, affirming, and encouraging patients and their families. Additionally, through these visits and subsequent conversations, a holistic health and wellness model was used to emphasize compassionate and spiritual patient care.

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The Diverging Beliefs and Practices of the Religiously Affiliated and Unaffiliated in the United States

Cited by 3 publications

References 11 publications

Religion and Loneliness: Investigating Different Aspects of Religion and Dimensions of Loneliness

Religion and Loneliness: Investigating Different Aspects of Religion and Dimensions of Loneliness

American Religion in the Era of Increasing Polarization

Observations about Holistic Care from the Experience of a Medical Student Shadowing a Chaplain

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