Faith Groups May Be the Key to Stronger Communities

In a world where many feel isolated, where do people find a sense of community? To find out, researchers looked at data from over 200,000 people across 22 countries, asking about their involvement in two kinds of groups: secular ones (like sports teams, book clubs, or political organizations) and religious ones (like attending services). The study found that who participates, and where, varies a lot around the globe.

Attending religious services doesn't pull people away from society, but often connects people to the broader community.

On average, younger, single, and more educated people were more likely to join secular groups. In contrast, older, married, and less educated people were more likely to attend religious services weekly. Rates of religious attendance also varied enormously from country to country: in Nigeria, 87% of people attend services weekly, while in Japan only 3% do. But here’s the most surprising discovery: these two types of community aren't in competition.

In fact, they seem to support each other. Across all 22 countries studied, people who regularly attended religious services were also significantly more likely to participate in secular groups. It seems that involvement in a faith community doesn't pull people away from the rest of society. Instead, it often encourages them to get more involved in their broader community. This suggests that religious practice and secular community life can be complementary, working together to build a more connected world.