(Relevant) A new study titled “What Does Spirituality Mean to Us?” found that Americans who say they’re highly spiritual are more likely to be civic-minded and want to make a difference in their local communities. The more these people identify their spirituality as some sort of connection — whether to God, another higher power or even just “humanity” — the more likely they are to be active in their communities by volunteering, donating and voting.
The Fetzer Institute funded the study as a way of determining just what spirituality even means in America anymore. And while the study took place before the coronavirus pandemic (which could have a seismic impact on American spirituality in a way that won’t become clear for a few years), it still provides an interesting window into how being spiritual affects the daily life of the average American.