People who go to church have a greater sense of belonging, at least according to a survey reported in the Church Times this week.
The survey of 10,634 people in the UK — which included 3737 Christians, of whom 1979 were Anglicans — was conducted by Opinium on behalf of the Belonging Forum, an organisation which supports dialogue between faiths. The survey’s findings support the results of other studies that have suggested a strong association between membership of a faith group and a sense of greater well-being.
The survey found that religious people had higher levels of social connectedness and friendships than the general population. Members of the Church of England in particular were significantly more likely than the general population to say they had a very strong sense of belonging: 46% compared with 31%.
Kim Samuel, the founder of the Belonging Forum said, “This insight underscores the vital role that faith communities continue to play in nurturing social bonds and providing a sense of belonging and purpose in the UK.”
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Learn more about the Belonging Forum here.