A "random group of misfits" or being "part of something bigger"? Exploring experiences of attending a non-religious congregation.

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  • Additional Information
    • Source:
      Publisher: Taylor & Francis Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101256506 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1748-2631 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 17482623 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being Subsets: MEDLINE
    • Publication Information:
      Publication: 2016- : Philadelphia, PA : Taylor & Francis
      Original Publication: London ; New York : Taylor & Francis, c2006-
    • Subject Terms:
      Religion* ; Spirituality*; Adaptation, Psychological ; Humans ; Loneliness ; Mental Health
    • Abstract:
      Purpose: Religion is an important part of many people's lives and there is some evidence that attending church or other religious congregations is positively associated with psychological well-being. However, religious participation is declining in Western Europe and North America. Sunday Assembly is a non-religious gathering that intends to provide a similar communal experience and a sense of spirituality to the church, but without the religious element. In the current study, we aimed to explore the experiences of and motivations for attending a non-religious congregation in relation to well-being.
      Methods: A qualitative approach was taken, gathering data through semi-structured interviews with participants from Sunday Assembly congregations across England.
      Results: Thematic analysis was used and three key themes were found: (1) searching for meaning and community, (2) Sunday Assembly as protective of mental health, and (3) loneliness in a crowd.
      Conclusions: Sunday Assembly can provide a sense of belonging and improvement in mental health through shared experience and spirituality, and it can act as a coping mechanism during difficult times. Further research could explore the benefits of Sunday Assembly upon attendee's mental health, test the effectiveness of Sunday Assembly as a coping mechanism, and whether continued attendance improves mood over time.
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    • Contributed Indexing:
      Keywords: Sunday assembly; communal experience; non-religious congregation; religiosity; thematic analysis
    • Publication Date:
      Date Created: 20220308 Date Completed: 20220309 Latest Revision: 20220318
    • Publication Date:
      20240628
    • Accession Number:
      PMC8925926
    • Accession Number:
      10.1080/17482631.2021.2021618
    • Accession Number:
      35257631