Psychology of Religion - Religion and Health

Religion and Health

Main article: Impacts of religion on health See also: Religion and happiness and Religiosity and intelligence

There is considerable literature on the relationship between religion and health. Psychologists consider that there are various ways in which religion may benefit both physical and mental health, including encouraging healthy lifestyles, providing social support networks and encouraging an optimistic outlook on life; prayer and meditation may also help to benefit physiological functioning. The journal "American Psychologist" published important papers on this topic in 2003. Haber, Jacob and Spangler have considered how different dimensions of religiosity may relate to health benefits in different ways.

Read more about this topic:  Psychology Of Religion

Famous quotes containing the words religion and, religion and/or health:

    What is a wife and what is a harlot? What is a church and what
    Is a theatre? are they two and not one? can they exist separate?
    Are not religion and politics the same thing? Brotherhood is religion,
    O demonstrations of reason dividing families in cruelty and pride!
    William Blake (1757–1827)

    The strongest reason why we ask for woman a voice in the government under which she lives; in the religion she is asked to believe; equality in social life, where she is the chief factor; a place in the trades and professions, where she may earn her bread, is because of her birthright to self-sovereignty; because, as an individual, she must rely on herself.
    Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815–1902)

    Youth no less becomes
    The light and careless livery that it wears
    Than settled age his sables and his weeds,
    Importing health and graveness.
    William Shakespeare (1564–1616)