An intriguing link between spirituality and loneliness has been highlighted in recent research. According to a survey by the American Bible Society, individuals with robust spiritual lives and a tendency to forgive report experiencing less loneliness than those less engaged in religious practices or harboring grudges.
Exploring the Connection Between Spirituality and Loneliness
The findings are part of the “State of the Bible USA 2024” report, which focuses on loneliness. Conducted by gathering responses from 2,506 American adults between January 4-23, 2024, the research investigates how levels of religiosity correlate with feelings of loneliness. The survey has a margin of error of ±2.73 percentage points.
Overall, the survey shows that nearly 75% of Americans experience moderate to high loneliness, with a significant portion of Gen Z women feeling particularly isolated. The report poses a hypothesis: could forming a meaningful relationship with God, as depicted in the Bible, mitigate this loneliness epidemic?
Scripture Engagement and Loneliness Levels
Participants were categorized based on their Scripture Engagement Scale scores. Those scoring below 70 were labeled “Bible disengaged,” 70-99 as the “movable middle,” and 100+ as “scripture engaged.”
Among the “Bible disengaged,” 22% reported high loneliness, while 52% felt moderate loneliness. The “movable middle” reported 59% high and 17% moderate loneliness. In stark contrast, only 11% of the “scripture engaged” felt high loneliness, and a significant 38% reported low loneliness.
The study utilized questions from the UCLA Loneliness Scale, with scores ranging from 5 (least lonely) to 20 (most lonely). Across generations, the “scripture engaged” consistently reported lower loneliness scores compared to their counterparts.
Generational Differences in Loneliness
Among Gen Z, the “scripture engaged” scored an average loneliness of 11.3, lower than the “movable middle” at 12.4 and the “Bible disengaged” at 13.4. For Millennials, these figures stood at 10.1, 12.3, and 13.0, respectively. Generation X showed similar trends. Baby Boomers, however, presented a slight deviation, with the “Bible disengaged” scoring marginally lower loneliness than their “scripture engaged” peers.
Impact of Church Attendance and Forgiveness
Church attendance also appeared to influence loneliness. Those attending weekly services reported the lowest high loneliness rates (12%) and the highest levels of low loneliness (33%). In contrast, individuals who never attended church reported the highest high loneliness levels (25%).
The research also draws a connection between forgiveness and loneliness. John Farquhar Plake, Chief Innovation Officer at the American Bible Society, noted, “Our own research indicates that an inability to forgive could greatly increase levels of loneliness.”
The Role of Commitment to Christ
When examining loneliness related to commitment to Christ, those with strong Christian beliefs reported higher levels of low loneliness. Among those with an intimate relationship with Christ influencing their daily lives, 42% reported low loneliness.
These findings align with a broader conversation on the health implications of loneliness. A report titled “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” issued by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, warns about the health risks associated with a lack of social connections, equating its impact to smoking up to 15 cigarettes daily.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
