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Study: Americans See Link Between Economic, Spiritual Health

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mwkruse
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Beliefnet: Study: Americans See Link Between Economic, Spiritual Health (HT: Presbyweb)

A majority of U.S. adults say that the overall health of the nation's economy is dependent on how spiritual Americans are, a survey by the Gallup Organization shows.

Seventy-seven percent of the respondents said the nation's economic health depends a "great deal" or "some" degree on its spiritual health.

…….

Other findings show that 79 percent of people believe that there are clear guidelines about what is good or evil that apply to everyone.

Seventy-two percent say that their faith is what gives their life meaning, but a smaller percentage, 65 percent, consider themselves spiritually committed.

The Gallup Organization compiled the results from a survey of 1,004 adults during February and early March of 2006 with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Commissioned by the [Spiritual Enterprise] institute, the study was partially funded by The Templeton Foundation.

Comments

4 responses to “Study: Americans See Link Between Economic, Spiritual Health”

  1. Mark Goodyear Avatar
    Mark Goodyear

    Go Templeton Foundation! I love that group.
    So ‘Seventy-seven percent of the respondents said the nation’s economic health depends a “great deal” or “some” degree on its spiritual health’?
    On the one hand, I think of course the more committed we are to serving God and neighbor, the more productive we will be.
    On the other hand, this seems just a “hop, skip, and jump” away from prosperity gospel–“Give your business to God so he’ll bless you with riches from heaven.”
    Interesting study, no doubt.

    Reply
  2. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    “…this seems just a “hop, skip, and jump” away from prosperity gospel…”
    It is a slippery distinction isn’t it? The Deut. covenant makes clear that economic prosperity was a consequence of honoring God. God brought them into a land filled with milk and honey. The New Jerusalem is paved with gold and decorated with jewels. Economic prosperity is a part of shalom.
    I wonder if the distinction is about being good stewards of God’s resources with charity and justice toward all regardless of the outcome. Economic prosperity, such as it emerges, is a by-product of serving God, not the controling force in our lives.
    I am still working on how to articulate my thoughts on this well.

    Reply
  3. will spotts Avatar
    will spotts

    I also thought this was a little too “prosperity gospel”. I don’t see this in the New Testament – e.g. as applying to Christians. Still, certain religious habits probably do make people more productive and less wasteful – so there is some potential consequential relationship.
    This survey strikes me as imprecise, however. The term “spiritual” is, at once, both vague and fashionable. Self identification becomes a problem here. The main headline is vague also – do people believe that the habits they think of as spiritual produce economic prosperity – or do they believe that whatever god (not identified here) they worship blesses them in return for fulfilling their obligations to spirituality?
    I’m also a little astonished at the high percentages – that, for example, in anti-post-modern fashion affirm guidelines about good and evil that apply to everyone. [Functionally most people I’ve met act as if this were so – but they tend to disagree strongly on the guidelines. A large number, however, deny believing this – even when they act as if it were so.]

    Reply
  4. Michael Kruse Avatar
    Michael Kruse

    The Devil is in the details. I too would like to know more of the specifics.

    Reply

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