I read a great deal and fairly widely to gain new ideas and perspectives. I am a sucker for good headlines. Sometimes I chase a good headline, only to be disappointed when I start reading the actual article. But sometimes, the content of the article is pretty good and I learn some things. Such was an opportunity that recently came my way with the luring title, “Study shows churchgoers live longer than more secular peers.” Since I am a fairly frequent churchgoer, I felt good about that headline.
Baldwin Way, an Ohio State psychology professor, conducted a significant study to see if folks who go to church might live longer. The answer seems to be yes. Actually, I was surprised when I read about the conclusions of the study, which suggested “that churchgoers can expect to live up to nine years longer than their more secular peers.” I thought there might be a couple years, but nine more years much more than I would have guessed. I was ready to dive into the details of the study.
Way claims “The effects are real…It’s a larger effect than gender,” citing well-known evidence that women generally live longer than men. Maybe that means guys should definitely start going to church! He notes something that I do not find surprising. “There are benefits to being involved in a church community…” In fact, I am confident the word, community, is one key to this longevity and Way confirms my suspicion. He names it “greater social connection” and suggests that is a big reason why folks who go to church live longer.
More details follow from this general conclusion. “Religiously active people are able to postpone eternal judgment because they are more likely to be involved with others, Way theorizes. Volunteerism among churchgoers is more pronounced.” I like the humor in this statement. Postponing eternal judgment is something most of us hope to do! If we are involved with others, we usually are not in a hurry to leave this life. And involvement is another key idea.
If folks are involved, that means they are invested in other people and other things. Sometimes it is involvement with family and friends; sometimes it is involvement in important projects. Involvement usually means I transcend my own needs and desires. I am in it for bigger reasons than just my ego. Involved people have a higher reason for being. This is exactly what Professor Way discovers. I think the key to involvement is how it provides meaning. The Ohio State researcher puts it in this fashion. “Other social organizations can provide fellowship and support. But a church is unique because it provides meaning and purpose”
Meaning and purpose are great drivers for more involvement and more perseverance. If we find meaning in other people or in God, then there is more reason to keep going---to stay alive and engaged. To me there is a clear link between meaning and social connections. Professor Way notes the importance of social connections. He notes, “Social relationships are the biggest drivers of health.” Social relationships are the opposite of individualism and, especially, the feeling of being alone or alienated. Many studies offer evidence of the high price loneliness exacts on people.
Social scientists even suggest that social connections have a bigger impact on general health than smoking. Of course, there are other caveats. Church goers likely have healthier patterns of living than non-churchgoers. Aside from all these potential mitigating factors, it does seem to be true that churchgoers generally live longer than the folks who don’t go. But knowing this probably is not going to drive non-churchgoers to start attending.
So what do we make of all this? I have not done my own research, but I am pretty clear there is little to suggest that folks who don’t go to church will begin going for reasons other than a belief in God or, at least, starting their own spiritual search. Going to church to live longer is not enough incentive. Besides there are other ways of building social connection. And of course, there are many ways to get some meaning and purpose in your life. In fact, people don’t go to church to live longer.
Living longer, I would argue, simply is a by-product of going to church. It is not why we go, but it is a nice result. I appreciate the language of social connection and so forth. But I still prefer the old-fashioned language of community. Church as community is still a wonderful way to find a context where we care and are cared for. It should be the place where passion and compassion find regular expression.
After all, church is the one place we expect to find people working to being the kingdom of God. That will be a time of peace and joy. This is still good news in a world where there is too much chaos, strife, sadness and the like.
If I live longer, I am grateful. But I still go to church for a more noble reason than a few more days or years.
Baldwin Way, an Ohio State psychology professor, conducted a significant study to see if folks who go to church might live longer. The answer seems to be yes. Actually, I was surprised when I read about the conclusions of the study, which suggested “that churchgoers can expect to live up to nine years longer than their more secular peers.” I thought there might be a couple years, but nine more years much more than I would have guessed. I was ready to dive into the details of the study.
Way claims “The effects are real…It’s a larger effect than gender,” citing well-known evidence that women generally live longer than men. Maybe that means guys should definitely start going to church! He notes something that I do not find surprising. “There are benefits to being involved in a church community…” In fact, I am confident the word, community, is one key to this longevity and Way confirms my suspicion. He names it “greater social connection” and suggests that is a big reason why folks who go to church live longer.
More details follow from this general conclusion. “Religiously active people are able to postpone eternal judgment because they are more likely to be involved with others, Way theorizes. Volunteerism among churchgoers is more pronounced.” I like the humor in this statement. Postponing eternal judgment is something most of us hope to do! If we are involved with others, we usually are not in a hurry to leave this life. And involvement is another key idea.
If folks are involved, that means they are invested in other people and other things. Sometimes it is involvement with family and friends; sometimes it is involvement in important projects. Involvement usually means I transcend my own needs and desires. I am in it for bigger reasons than just my ego. Involved people have a higher reason for being. This is exactly what Professor Way discovers. I think the key to involvement is how it provides meaning. The Ohio State researcher puts it in this fashion. “Other social organizations can provide fellowship and support. But a church is unique because it provides meaning and purpose”
Meaning and purpose are great drivers for more involvement and more perseverance. If we find meaning in other people or in God, then there is more reason to keep going---to stay alive and engaged. To me there is a clear link between meaning and social connections. Professor Way notes the importance of social connections. He notes, “Social relationships are the biggest drivers of health.” Social relationships are the opposite of individualism and, especially, the feeling of being alone or alienated. Many studies offer evidence of the high price loneliness exacts on people.
Social scientists even suggest that social connections have a bigger impact on general health than smoking. Of course, there are other caveats. Church goers likely have healthier patterns of living than non-churchgoers. Aside from all these potential mitigating factors, it does seem to be true that churchgoers generally live longer than the folks who don’t go. But knowing this probably is not going to drive non-churchgoers to start attending.
So what do we make of all this? I have not done my own research, but I am pretty clear there is little to suggest that folks who don’t go to church will begin going for reasons other than a belief in God or, at least, starting their own spiritual search. Going to church to live longer is not enough incentive. Besides there are other ways of building social connection. And of course, there are many ways to get some meaning and purpose in your life. In fact, people don’t go to church to live longer.
Living longer, I would argue, simply is a by-product of going to church. It is not why we go, but it is a nice result. I appreciate the language of social connection and so forth. But I still prefer the old-fashioned language of community. Church as community is still a wonderful way to find a context where we care and are cared for. It should be the place where passion and compassion find regular expression.
After all, church is the one place we expect to find people working to being the kingdom of God. That will be a time of peace and joy. This is still good news in a world where there is too much chaos, strife, sadness and the like.
If I live longer, I am grateful. But I still go to church for a more noble reason than a few more days or years.
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