Tag Archives for Episcopal Church

Pew Survey takes a look at America’s view of spirituality 

Published in RINewsToday on December 25, 2023

The late Ray Whitman, a former economist who taught at the University of the District of Columbia, didn’t really consider himself spiritual or begin his spiritual quest until his late 30s. Ray’s desire to understand his spirituality was a long, complicated and somewhat painful process, he told me, noting that a mid-life crisis at age 39 forced him to reevaluate his personal life, goals and religious beliefs, including his ties to the Episcopal Church.

Whitman’s personal crisis would lead him to exploring spiritual beliefs and activities.  During his search, he learned how to cast astrology and numerology charts, attended metaphysical church services, practiced yoga, became a Life Spring graduate and even sought advice from psychics and the counsel of gurus, even traveling to Brazil to see John of God, a self-proclaimed medium and psychic surgeon.

For years, the Rockville, Maryland economist studied the teachings and meditation practices of Guru Mayi Chidvilasananda, the current head of the Siddha Lineage of gurus.  

At the end of his life, Whitman, who passed away on Aug. 26, 2021, at the age of 85, like many Americans who described themselves as spiritual in a recent Pew Research Center report, he described himself as being spiritual and not religious and being tied to mainstream religious beliefs.

Being Religious, Spiritual, or both

Just weeks before Christmas, the Pew Research Center released a report, “Spirituality Among Americans,” that shows that belief in spirits or a spiritual realm beyond this world is widespread, even among those who don’t consider themselves religious.  Seven in 10 adults (70%) describe themselves as spiritual in some way, however, many of these individuals also view themselves as religious.  Still, 22% indicated that they consider themselves spiritual, and not religious.

According to the results of Pew’s survey, 83% of all U.S. adults believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body. Eighty-one percent of the respondents believe there is something spiritual beyond the natural world, even if we cannot see it.  Almost three-fourths of the respondents say that there are somethings that science cannot possibly explain while 45% noted that they had a sudden feeling of connection with something from beyond this world.  And 30% say that they have personally encountered a spirit or unseen spiritual force. 

Overall, the survey findings, conducted July 31-Aug. 6, 2023 among a nationally representative sample of 11,201 members of Pew’s American Trends Panel, and released on December 7, 2023, found that 70% of U.S. adults can be considered “spiritual” in some way, because they think of themselves as spiritual people, or say spirituality is very important in their lives. 

As to spiritual beliefs, the survey’s findings indicated that half of all Americans believe that spirits can inhabit burial places, such as graveyards, cemeteries or other memorial sites.  Forty-eight percent believe that parts of mountains, rivers or trees can have spirits or spiritual energy.

And respondents believed in an afterlife.  Fifty-seven percent believe that people definitely or probably can reunite with loved ones who also have  died.  About four-in-ten also accept that dead people definitely, or probably, assist, protect and guide the living (46%), be aware of what’s going on among the living (44%) or even communicate with them (42%).

As to spiritual practices, 77% of U.S. adults say they spend time in nature, usually a few times a month, and 26% note they do so to feel connected with something bigger than themselves or with their “true self.” 

When asked to describe what ‘spiritual’ means to them in their own words, one respondent said, “To me, spiritual means to be in touch with nature, see the beauty in everything, feel the love of Mother Nature, to know that there is something out there that is greater than me, that loves me, that looks out for me. I find that mostly in nature – the sun, the moon, trees, flowers, wild bunnies running through my yard, the deer standing stoically as if posing for me to enjoy their beauty. In addition, I try to follow the teaching of Jesus, because he had some pretty good advice.”

Another said, “Spiritual means to discover your own self by deep meditation and contemplation. Love everyone, hate no one.”

Thirty-eight percent of U.S. adults reported meditating at least a few times a month, including 22% who meditate mainly to connect with their “true self” or with something bigger than themselves.

Finally,  the survey’s findings reveal that for spiritual purposes more than one-third of U.S. adults say they wear a cross, and 15% say they maintain a meditation shrine, altar or icon in their home.  Twelve percent have crystals for spiritual purposes and 9% have a tattoo or piercing for spiritual purposes.

Are Spiritual beliefs superseding traditional Religious Beliefs?

The researchers say that previous research has shown a decline in traditional religious beliefs and practices, including those who say they believe in God with absolute certainty, regularly attend religious services, and pray daily.

Like Whitman, articles appear in newspapers noting that Americans are turning away from organized religion and replacing it with their “own mix of spiritual elements” drawn from Hindu, Buddhism, Native American shamanism, and New Age beliefs.

While the Pew Research Center’s survey attempts to ask questions about spiritual beliefs and practices, researchers say it’s difficult to determine if considering oneself spiritual is more or less common today.

Previous Pew Research Center surveys say it’s difficult to determine if religion is being replaced by one being spiritual because it’s difficult to define and separate those concepts.

Researchers say that this survey is intended to “fill the gap.”  These results will be used as a baseline and the re-asking of questions about spiritual and religious practices can indicate whether there is an increase or decease in one’s turning away from organized religion and just considering oneself spiritual.

Stay tuned…

To read Pew Research Center’s Spirituality report, go to:

https://www.pewresearch.org/topic/religion/

Let the Spirit Be With You

Religion, Meditation Can Lead to Better Health

Published in Senior Digest on December 2004, p. 1

Owen Mahoney inherited his Catholic faith from his parents. The 78-year-old Warwick resident remembers that his intellectual curiosity helped him to better understand his religion. It also propelled him into taking philosophy and theology courses, attending workshops and having regular contact with priests.

“I knew I was on the right road and the right relationship with God,” Owen says, reflecting how Catholicism had influenced major events in his life.

From age 7 until he graduated from high school at age 17, the youngster would serve as an alter boy at his local parish. Two weeks after his graduation he would enlist in the United States Navy. The young man would find himself steering a landing craft onto the bloody Normandy Beach. His earlier alter boy experiences, gleaned during his teen-aged years, would serve him well during his three years of service during World War II. He would become an alter boy for the chaplains on the aircraft carrier U.S.S. Lake Champlain and during services at bases in England and Italy.

Catholicism would later lead to Owen enrolling at Providence College, a university run by the Jesuit order. It would also influence Owen and his wife Teresa, now married for 53 years, to raise their 12 children in the Catholic faith. Now retired, the Mahony’s attend church regularly and serve as Eucharistic ministers at Rhode Island Hospital, giving Holy Communion to the Catholic patients.

Dr. Ray Whitman, 68, a former economist who taught at the University of the District of Columbia, who now consults with the district’s government, didn’t really begin his spiritual quest until his late 30s. Ray’s desire to understand his spirituality was a long, sometimes painful process, he remembers, saying that a mid-life crisis at age 39 forced him to reevaluate his personal life, including his ties to the Episcopal Church.

“My personal crisis created an interest to explore New Age beliefs and activities,” he says. During Ray’s search, he learned how to cast astrology and numerology charts, attended metaphysical church services, practiced yoga, became a Life Spring graduate and sought advise from psychics and the counsel of gurus.

For over 22 years, the economist studied the teachings and meditation practices of Guru Mayi Chidvilasananda, the current head of the Siddha Lineage of gurus. “I have a much clearer vision of the truth through the teachings of Siddha yoga than I received through the theology of the Episcopal Church,” he said.

With Guru Mayi being less accessible to her devotees, Whitman is now focusing more on the teachings of yoga and the practice of yoga and meditation.

Both the Mahony’s strong Catholic beliefs and their regular attendance and Ray Whitman’s non-mainstream spiritual beliefs would not be a surprise to most researchers. A 2002 Gallup Poll found that “spiritual commitment usually increases as age increases.” Two years later, an AARP survey found older people more likely to attend church regularly than other age groups.

In the trenches, the Rev. Dr. George Peters, pastor and teacher of the Pawtucket Congregational Church (United Church of Christ), agrees with the observations of both polls. He sees a strong commitment to religion in his older parishioners every Sunday at worship.

“The missing generation for us to people ages 25 to 50,” the Rev. Peters says, noting that his church, like many in urban down towns have older congregations. “It’s not that we don’t attract younger members. The children of our members just grow up and move away.”

When asked about why “the greatest generation” has very strong ties to religion, the Rev. Peters said. “The group of people age 75 and older are really the last generation that really grew up in the church, worshiping regularly, being actively involved in youth organizations and attending.

“Seniors really know how to do church. They have a strong record of leadership with the church and are active volunteers,” adds the Rev. Peters.

While family physicians say that regular exercise, a good diet and giving up risky activities such as such as smoking and drinking can improve one’s health and longevity, a growing body of research adds regularly attending religious services to the list of recommendations to improve health and increase life spans.

In a July/August 1999 issue of the Journal of Gerontology, medical science editor, Dr. Harold G. Koenig, a researcher at Duke University Medical Center, noted that those who attended religious services every week were 46 percent less likely to die over as six-year period than people who attended less often or not at all.

In his study examining 4,000 of the state’s residents ages 64 to 100 that accounted for factors such as illness, depression, social connections, health practices and demographics, the North Carolina researcher found regular churchgoers were still 28 percent less likely to die than others in the study.

Dr. Koenig’s findings build on a series of earlier studies at Duke showing that religious people have lower blood pressure, less depression and anxiety and stronger immune systems than those less religious.

Some researchers may say that it is simplistic to believe that being religious is a causal factor that may improve a senior’s health and longevity. By being involved in a church, older persons are put in contact with a large number of people who can be approached for help in person or by phone. A church or synagogue can also provide seniors with many opportunities to stay socially active and engaged in community gatherings or volunteer efforts.