The Surprising Role of the Bible in Combating Loneliness
In a landscape where loneliness has been likened to the health risks of smoking 15 cigarettes a day, the American Bible Society (ABS) offers a compelling solution. According to the latest chapter of the 2024 State of the Bible, engagement with scripture, regular church attendance, and the practice of forgiveness can significantly reduce feelings of loneliness.
The U.S. surgeon general has highlighted loneliness as a major public health concern, affecting nearly 75% of Americans and costing employers an estimated $154 billion annually due to stress-related absences. Social isolation among older adults also leads to an excess of $6.7 billion in Medicare spending each year.
ABS emphasizes that engaging with the Bible and attending church provides meaningful relationships and a sense of divine love. Citing Jeremiah 31:3, ABS highlights God’s “everlasting love” and relates it to the Psalmist’s view of God’s familiarity with all our ways in Psalm 139:3.
The statistics are telling. Only 11% of individuals with high scripture engagement report high levels of loneliness, compared to 22% among those who are disengaged from the Bible. Similarly, weekly church attendance corresponds with lower loneliness rates—12% versus 25% among those who never attend.
Forgiveness also plays a critical role. Among those who are strongly or somewhat able to forgive, only 16% report high loneliness, compared to 36% of those who are strongly unable to forgive.
Generational and gender differences are evident in the ABS findings. For Gen Z, 37% of females report high loneliness, nearly double that of males at 18%. Conversely, among older Americans in the Boomer-plus category, both genders report high loneliness at a low 11%.
Income levels also show a correlation. Only 13% of individuals earning above $100,000 experience high loneliness, contrasting sharply with 33% of those earning less than $20,000.
ABS’s research applies the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale to assess loneliness, with the average score for all respondents being 11.9 out of a possible 20. This study is based on a survey by NORC at the University of Chicago, involving 2,506 online interviews with adults across the United States.
The final chapter of the 2024 State of the Bible, focusing on philanthropy, is yet to be released. For more insights, including a video interview with Susan Mettes, author of “The Loneliness Epidemic,” visit the American Bible Society’s website or watch the interview.
This article was originally written by www.baptistpress.com
