Spirituality was much too controversial. However, science no longer ignores the role of spirituality in human well-being.
Recent findings confirm the importance of spirituality in physical and emotional health.
These men also were significantly less depressed than their nonreligious counterparts. In a seven-year study of seniors, religious involvement was associated with less physical disability and less depression. Death rates were lower than expected before an important religious holiday, suggesting that faith may even postpone death. Church attenders have nearly one-half the risk of heart attack and have lower blood pressure, even after accounting for the effects of smoking and socioeconomic status. Patients undergoing open-heart surgery who received strength and comfort from religion were three times more likely to survive than those who had no comfort from religious faith.