ANGLICANS are more likely to say that they are satisfied with their lives, and many older churchgoers say that they never feel lonely, a new survey has shown.
The survey of 10,634 people — who included 3737 Christians, of whom 1979 were Anglicans — was conducted by Opinium for the Belonging Forum, which supports dialogue between faiths. The results underscore other studies that have suggested a strong association between belonging to a faith group and a perception of greater well-being and health.
Seventy-two per cent of the Christians surveyed — and, of those, 73 per cent who attend Anglican churches — compared with 65 per cent of the general population said that they were satisfied with their lives. The highest satisfaction was found among the Anglican men and young Anglicans, although younger Anglicans were also more likely to report greater levels of loneliness than the general population: 19 per cent, compared with 11 per cent. One third (34 per cent) of the Anglicans aged 65-plus surveyed, however, never felt lonely, compared with 19 per cent of the general population.
The survey found that religious people had higher levels of social connectedness and friendships than the general population. They were more likely to say that they spoke with their neighbours regularly, with Anglicans saying that they spoke most often with neighbours. More men than women said that they spent time chatting to others in their neighbourhood.
Christians were also more likely to feel strongly connected to their neighbourhood and community. And people in the Church of England were more likely than the general population to say that they had a very strong sense of belonging to the UK: 46 per cent compared with 31 per cent.
Being a member of the faith community is also associated with a wider friendship group: religious people said that they had more friends than non-religious people. Younger Christians, in particular, were likelier than the general population to have close friends and be satisfied with their friendships, although there was one anomaly with those in the 18-24 age bracket, where some young Christians reported having no close friends at all.
Asked about participation in politics, women in the Church of England and middle-aged people were least likely to say that they felt represented in politics, although young Anglicans felt well represented.
Kim Samuel, the founder of the Belonging Forum and author of On Belonging: Finding connection in an age of isolation, said: “Our extensive research identified several factors — housing status, disability status, age — that correlate with better social connectedness, and we found having faith is linked to a deep understanding of belonging.
“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.” In particular, the Belonging Barometer suggested that most Christians in the UK feel a strong sense of attachment to their community which reaps rewards.
“Christian hospitality and compassion shone through the data, particularly a sense of neighbourliness and inner contentment.
“The hope that having a faith — any faith — brings is a powerful and universal social force for good. Active and energetic communities thrive on loving your neighbour and serving others. Notably, houses of worship bring different generations together to learn from each other and create bonds — something that is, sadly, increasingly rare, and which we will campaign for.
“Interfaith dialogue is critical, too. A diverse religious society is a more connected and fulfilled society, which can be enjoyed by people of all faiths and none.”
The Belonging Forum is working to create a “charter for belonging” to outline initiatives that communities can take to address social isolation, particularly among groups with the highest levels of need, including students, young women, renters, older people, and people with disabilities.