Religion, Spirituality, and Stress

Summary

This chapter has provided a general overview of the relationship between stress and spirituality. Let us review the main points of this chapter:

• 1. We began with a differentiation of the terms religious, which is considered to be external, denomination, and public, and spiritual which is thought to be ecumenical, internal, and private.

• 2. Various mechanisms of action regarding the potential psychological benefits of religion were then proposed. Herbert Benson’s more recent work on the “faith factor” and therapeutic benefits of worship services was covered, as well as other psychological benefits, such as increased sense of meaning and control, and asking for forgiveness.

• 3. Potential physical benefits of religion include perceiving the body as a “temple of the Holy Spirit” (Koenig, 1997), increased medical adherence, and less smoking and drinking.

• 4. Research has shown a positive relationship between religious practice, including the use of intercessory prayer (distant prayer), and emotional and physical health.

• 5. Spiritual themes have been used in interventions such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous.

• 6. Finally, Richards and Bergin (1997) suggest a number of religious and spiritual factors that may be incorporated during psychotherapy.

Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind. Albert Einstein (1879–1955)