What particular practices are associated with these health benefits—prayer, meditation, scripture reading, going to church?
The strongest and most consistent by far is attending worship services, which is a proxy for level of involvement in religious community. Why do you think that is? It’s probably because it combines a number of things: reinforcement of a belief system when you meet together with others and they believe the same thing and then you hear the preacher reinforcing it every week. And I think some of what goes on during the service probably has health benefits: singing, praying, being in a peaceful atmosphere together. That’s not been studied, but it’s possible that physiological changes occur as a result of just being in that environment. That, combined with not only the receiving of support—but especially the giving of support to others. Because even if the only reason you do it is because you think you should do it, the giving of support to others has both mental and physiological health benefits. People who volunteer, people who are involved in altruistic activities–study after study shows
