Are evangelicals, even those that identify as politically conservative, that much different from everyone else? Two new studies yield results that may surprise those holding on to an image of highly religious individuals as rigid and uncaring, more concerned with judging than loving one another..
Just a couple of generations removed from widespread pressure to stay at home, evangelical working moms are now being welcomed into congregations, new research indicates. Conservative Protestant women, a category mostly made up of evangelicals, also were less likely to face work-family conflicts than women from other traditions.
The keys to a good night’s sleep include skipping midnight snacks, turning off the computer before bed – and faith. A new wave of research on religion and sleep is finding a close relationship with a caring divinity may help religious individuals enjoy a good night’s rest.
Miscarriage is often a socially taboo topic that can isolate parents in their grief. But some new studies are finding there is one area of life that can have a significant positive effect on the mental health of women dealing with miscarriages: Faith. One major study found that religious participation may increase mental health and be an important coping mechanism for women dealing with pregnancy loss.
Are baby boomers, part of the first generation to lead the contemporary exodus from organized religion, returning to their religious roots? The ninth wave of a multigenerational study that began in 1971 finds a little more than one in five boomers became significantly more religious in the transition from their 50s to their 60s.
Opponents of the legalization of marijuana are rapidly losing the battle. But that does not mean faith groups are powerless in protecting their flocks from marijuana use. Some new studies are showing religion may help prevent or limit marijuana abuse, and may be particularly effective for minors who may be increasingly vulnerable as legal marijuana becomes more easily accessible.
Sport as sacrament. Loving your opponent as yourself. Athletics for the sake of the soul. As issues from racism to doping to violence on and off the playing field gather increasing public notoriety, so, too, are philosophers and ethicists directing their lofty attention to the connection among sports, faith and the common good.
Both the social networks provided by religious communities and the intrinsic belief of being cared for by a loving divinity appear to protect against loneliness, research indicates. Having a “best friend” in God can make a major difference, researchers in one study noted.
A growing body of research is revealing the mental health benefits of having a close personal relationship with a caring divinity. In one of the latest national studies, the more participants reported feeling God’s love, presence and guidance, the more likely they were to agree they are a person of worth.
Two new studies reveal there are multiple ways religion can help deter gambling even as the ever-expanding industry gains increasing legitimacy from local governments searching for new forms of tax revenue. But varying approaches may be most effective in confronting different forms of gambling from lotteries to on-line betting.
