Posted on 10/15/2024 7:43:01 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Those who identify as non-religious experience a lower level of human flourishing than the general public, while practicing Christians enjoy the most flourishing, according to a new report.
The latest installment of the State of the Bible USA 2024 report, released by the American Bible Society on Thursday, focuses on “Nones and Nominals.” The title of the seventh chapter of the report refers to the religiously unaffiliated and those who identify as a member of a religious group but do not attend religious services at least once a month.
The latest batch of research, based on 2,506 responses to a survey collected between Jan. 4 through 23, contains information about the demographic characteristics of the religiously unaffiliated. The new chapter begins by sharing data finding that the non-religious share of the population increased from 23% in 2021 to 26% in 2022. It has remained steady at slightly more than one-fourth of the U.S. population since then.
The research also compared the scores of the so-called “nones” on the Human Flourishing Index to the scores of the public at large. The Human Flourishing Index, created by Harvard University, measures an individual’s level of human flourishing on a scale of 0 to 10 based on their responses to questions about their happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, as well as close social relationships.
Overall, the “nones” have an average score of 6.5 on the Human Flourishing Index compared to the average score of 6.9 for all Americans. The difference between the level of flourishing for “nones” and the public as a whole is most pronounced in the “meaning and purpose” domain. “Nones” have an average score of 6.3 in this area compared to 7.0 for all Americans.
Smaller differences between the “nones” and all Americans were measured in the other domains. In both the “happiness & life satisfaction” domain as well as the “physical & mental health” domain, “nones” received an average score of 6.3, while the American public as a whole had an average score of 6.8. On the “character & virtue” domain, “nones” have an average score of 6.9 compared to 7.3 for all Americans.
Very little difference was measured in the average score of “nones” (6.7) and all Americans (6.9) on the “close social relationships” domain.
The research broke non-practicing Christians into three subcategories and found that “practicing Christians” who attend church services at least once a month identify as Christian and describe their faith as “strongly important to them” score higher than all three groups of “nones.”
The term “non-Christian” refers to the “nones” as well as those who practice a non-Christian religion, the phrase “nominals” applies to those who identify as Christian but do not attend church services at least once a month, and the word “casuals” is used for those who go to church at least once a month but do not consider their faith very important to them.
Across the Human Flourishing Index and its subcategories, “practicing Christians” score the highest, followed by “casuals,” “nominals” and “non-Christians.” Overall, “practicing Christians” have an average score of 7.6 on the Human Flourishing Index, followed by “casuals” (7.3), “nominals” (6.8) and “non-Christians” (6.6).
“Practicing Christians” also have an average score of 7.6 in the “close social relationships” domain, while “casuals” (7.0), “nominals” (6.8) and “non-Christians (6.7) have lower average scores. While all categories have an average score of at least 7.0 in the “character & virtue” domain, the 7.8 average score among “practicing Christians” is higher than that of “casuals” (7.5), “nominals” (7.1) and “non-Christians” (7.0).
When it comes to “meaning & purpose,” the 7.9 average score among “practicing Christians” is significantly higher than the average scores of “causals” (7.4), “nominals” (6.8) and “non-Christians” (6.5). “Practicing Christians” actually tie “causals” with an average score of 7.2 in the “physical & mental health” domain, coming in ahead of “nominals” (6.6) and “non-Christians (6.4).
“Practicing Christians” have an average score of 7.6 in the “happiness & life satisfaction” domain, followed by “casuals” (7.3), “nominals” (6.7) and “non-Christians” (6.4).
In a statement reacting to the research, American Bible Society Chief Innovation Officer and State of the Bible Editor-in-Chief John Farquhar Plake acknowledged that, “On measures of human flourishing, Nones score decidedly lower than Practicing Christians in every category.”
“Could the church help them flourish by drawing them into a deeper connection with Jesus, the Bible, and the church community?” he asked.
While “nones” don't identify as religious, that doesn't mean they have necessarily shut themselves off from the message of the Bible and Christianity. The State of the Bible report reveals that 7% of “nones” use the Bible at least 3-4 times a year outside a church setting, while 3% believe that “the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it presents” and 10% report making “a personal commitment to Jesus Christ that is still important in their life today.”
“One quarter of all Americans are unaffiliated with any religion. In our research, we call them ‘Nones.’ It’s tempting to think they are unreachable, but one-tenth of Nones say they have made a commitment to Jesus that’s still important to them,” Plake said. “They’re not coming to church — that’s clear — but maybe the church could come to them.”
Two additional chapters of the State of the Bible 2024 USA report are expected to come out in November and December, and the finished product is expected to have nine chapters.
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=human+flourishing&ia=web
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flourishing
Flourishing, or human flourishing, is the complete goodness of humans in a developmental life-span, that somehow includes positive psychological functioning and positive social functioning, along with other basic goods.
I can’t recall the source of this quote, but it has always stuck in my mind
“The best evidence of the truth of Christian (sexual) morality, is the misery of those who do not follow it.”
Excellent.! I'll use this on some of my church cards... :)
It’s almost as though it’s being proven out before our eyes.
Just look at the alternatives, most dominantly atheism and Islam. Neither reflect Christian values. Both devolve into pain, suffering, anguish, sorrow, misery, and poverty (for most). They both objectively reject Christian ideology and it shows.
Atheists here believe they can be a ‘good person’ without God. What is lost on them is that the only culture they know, that which surrounds them, is saturated with 2000 years of Christian influence. Their idea of ‘good’ is not universal, quite the contrary both geographically and historically. I’d argue San Fransiko and Kabul are good examples.
Sin truly shackles you. Christ sets you free.
First define “flourish”.
Second, what about the category that are followers but don’t go to church because I don’t like rock concerts;
I don’t like my donations going to things I don’t support;
I don’t like having to only go to the crack of dawn service to avoid the rock concert;
I don’t like needing an ipad or some other tech device in church;
I know that some are not as well-off as others, but I don’t like seeing flip flops, cargo shorts, t-shirts, males wearing a cap/hat in the building (mine comes off at the threshold), revealing clothing etc (it is like how much of your tats, piercings, and body you can show)... in church (it is His house honor it!);
I don’t like watered down sermons that won’t offend anyone or go against the written word;
I won’t submit to female pastors;
I don’t like contributing to mission trips for people to go on vacation in exotic places when you can drive any direction from the church and within 10 miles find someone who needs help;
My tolerance for the feel good congregates who put on a good show every Sunday for an hour or so is limited.
Need I continue...
Yes I am a little cynical, jaded and hardened of heart.
RE: First define “flourish”.
In the study, they used the following criteria:
An individual’s level of human flourishing on a scale of 0 to 10 based on their responses to questions about their happiness and life satisfaction, mental and physical health, meaning and purpose, character and virtue, as well as close social relationships.
Yes I am a little cynical, jaded and hardened of heart.
and not alone
Not married, no real “friends” as defined by society, good job, a couple hobbies, little debt, excellent health... flourishing by my definition.
well said!
An example is one show I left I so dizzy from how loud the speakers were that I had difficulty driving a short distance home.
There is more to christian fellowship than attending a weekly meeting.
Not a single one of those concerns is a problem at my Latin Mass. Couldn’t be more opposite. No one would dream of using an electronic device or wearing inappropriate clothing. The most raucous music would be traditional hymns from centuries ago. Some might wonder about donations going to pro-illegal groups. No, my parish is not connected to Catholic Charities and distributes the collection to good causes.
Lucky you. I still search occasionally and after a visit or two I am still disappointed eventually.
Christianity is...by FAR...the single most important “civilizing” factor/force in the history of humanity.
Emhoff must be a nominal, because he doesn’t belong to a synagogue, plus his 2 marriages were to non-Jews, ergo his children are not Jewish. I doubt Harris is religious, as her father is Marxist.
Christians actually do live the best lives - but be careful how you define “best”. Look at the apostle Paul who was flogged and stoned multiple times, shipwrecked, imprisoned and finally beheaded. And there were similar sufferings for most of the other apostles and other early Christians. Persecutions continue today.
Yes, the one who created everything including us, knows what is the best way to live our lives, but Christians live with hope, knowing this world is cursed and looking forward to their eternity with Christ.
The words of Jesus: “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Good post. Agree 💯%
We finally found a church that does none of the things you list. It’s a joy to attend church now and not have to cringe even once.
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