Based on decades of Fetzer experience, and confirmed by this study, there is both a depth and diversity of spirituality that isn’t yet reflected in our main cultural narratives. Paradoxically, recognizing this diversity allows a common thread to emerge, one that reveals that it is human to be spiritual and that engaging this spirituality can engender a greater good. Throughout this report you will find illuminating examples of rich and diverse spiritual lives, ones that share more in common than we may have realized. The data makes clear that spirituality is important for most Americans and is an essential part of their lives:
- More than eight out of ten people consider themselves spiritual to some extent.
- Six in ten people aspire to be more spiritual—and the more spiritual or religious people see themselves, the more likely they aspire to be even more spiritual.
- Nearly half of people say they have become more spiritual over the course of their lives.
- Most engage in at least one spiritual or religious activity every week.
Interestingly, the more spirituality is important for persons, the more it is desired. People who already feel that spirituality (and religion) is central to their life want it to be more central. These findings help equip stakeholders and storytellers of all kinds to investigate the nuances behind people’s diverse spiritual identities; allow them to invite people of all spiritual and religious backgrounds into conversation about what spirituality means to them; and—ultimately—to understand how spirituality can contribute positively to our world. This is an essential first step for building a coalition of understanding and acceptance of diverse spiritual orientations.
People who feel highly connected to a higher power or to humanity at large are more likely to take community, civic, and political action. The more people identify as spiritual or religious, the more likely they are to:
- Believe it’s important to “make a difference” in their communities and “contribute to greater good” in the world
- Engage with others in their communities and to take actions such as volunteering and donating
- Vote, speak out on political and social issues, and get involved in politics and social movements
There are findings in the study that suggest that participants understand that humans are inherently relational. As we ponder these findings, we can see that they point to a deep connectivity in multiple directions: to a higher power, the natural world, and other people, even as they also return attention to a deeper connection to ourselves. But we also see there is ambiguity in how spirituality is understood in relationship to connectivity, especially in relationship to the outer world. To achieve the great potential of spiritual agency there is still much work to be done.
Our deepest levels of freedom and agency are spiritual, and we are becoming more aware that our inner and outer lives cannot be separated. Through the study, we’ve learned that spirituality is linked to our deepest identities and to our personal fulfillment, and simultaneously provides a profound agency to build the common good. Strengthening a living bridge between our inner and outer lives is the key to both personal and societal flourishing. If the study makes clear that we have great spiritual potential, it also makes clear the work ahead—work that lies at the heart of the Fetzer mission and the work of many of our partners. This is the work of going deeper within ourselves to find the love, hope, and courage essential both to our own flourishing and our ability to contribute to the flourishing of others; it is the work of building a more loving world for all.