“For where two or more are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:20
Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at Harvard University Dr. Tyler J. Vanderweele recently wrote an article on the importance of corporate worship. You might already know that faith communities offer moral guidance, provide network of supportive relationships, and encourage a lifestyle of altruism. However, there are numerous health benefits including 33% reduced risk of drug use among adolescents, 50% reduced risk of divorce, and 84% reduced risk of suicide.
An important distinction needs to be made; this applies to people who are regular participants in faith communities like churches, mosques, and temple. These stats do not apply to people who simply practice their faith individually or those who identify as “spiritual but not religious.”
It’s no secret that people have been slow to return to their churches and faith communities. Unfortunately, this can be more detrimental to their spiritual and physical health than they realize. So the next time you or someone you know say something like, “I can be spiritually healthy without being a part of a faith community,” you might want to reconsider.
