A growing number of studies indicate that older people in the church form social ties that have a significant positive impact on their physical and mental health. In Aging in the Church, Neal Krause comprehensively assesses the various relationships that stem from church involvement.
Among the many types of relationships Krause explores are close companion friendships, social-support structures (such as assistance provided by fellow church members during difficult times), and interactions that arise from Bible study and prayer groups. Through his thorough investigation of the underlying links between these relationships and the ways they relate to attributes like forgiveness, hope, gratitude, and altruism, the author hopes to explain why older adults who are involved in religious activities tend to enjoy better physical and mental health than those who are not engaged in religious communities. Going beyond merely reviewing the existing research on this subject, Aging in the Church provides a blueprint for taking research on church-based social relationships and health to the next level by identifying conceptual and methodological issues that investigators will confront as they delve more deeply into these connections.
Though these are complex issues, readers will find plain language and literature drawn from a wide array of disciplines, including sociology, psychology, public health, medicine, psychiatry, nursing, social work, gerontology, and theology. Literature, poetry, philosophy, and ethical ideas supplement the insights from these diverse fields. As a result, Aging in the Church takes on a genuinely interdisciplinary focus that will appeal to various scholars, researchers, and students.
What tremendous work. Aging in the Church is Neal Krause's magnum opus, the first and last word on how social relationships mediate religion's impact on physical and mental health. Theoretically, conceptually, methodologically, this book exemplifies the very best of what social science has to offer this field.' —Jeff Levin, PhD, MPH, author of God, Faith, and Health; adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, Duke University Medical Center
Quite simply, Aging in the Church is a tour de force. This sophisticated, clearly written volume casts fresh light on an important topic that has been neglected for too long: the role of congregational relationships in the health of older adults. Krause combines astute theoretical reasoning with skillful data analyses, opening new vistas for researchers and practitioners alike. Krause reveals the many aspects of church-based social ties that can benefit elders while showing the potential harm caused by conflict and criticism within religious communities. With laser-like precision, Krause also reveals how the costs and benefits of church-based social ties vary for persons from diverse racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. With this important contribution, Krause takes the field of religion-health research to a new level. —Christopher G. Ellison, professor of sociology, Elsie and Stanley E. Adams, Sr. Centennial Professor in Liberal Arts, The University of Texas at Austin
A ‘must-read’ for anyone caring for elderly parents or caregivers of disabled individuals, each of whom is so valued in our world. —Pam Landis, Journal of Religion, Disability, and Health
This masterful study provides an agenda for work to be done rather than a recap of data already in hand. It will be of practical interest to religious professionals, sociologists, psychologists, gerontologists, and others working with aging; it is not for casual readers or beginning students. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students through professionals/practitioners. —C. H. Lippy, CHOICE
Neal Krause says that the purpose of Aging in the Church ‘is to examine how social relationships that arise in church affect the physical and mental health of older men and women’ (p. 3). He accomplishes his goal in this comprehensive yet comprehensible compilation of a great deal of social-scientific research (both his own and others) on the role that involvement in Christian congregations plays in various health outcomes among elders. The book pulls together a wealth of information in one place for researchers interested in its subject, as well as for those who might want to make a case that ‘going to church is good for you.’ —The Gerontologist(February 2010 Issue)
This book effectively and clearly summarizes his findings on social relationships in congregations and how they contribute to elders' health and well-being. —NICA Book Review
Acknowledgments vii
Chapter 1. Social Relationships in the Church and Health: Problems and Prospects / 3
Religion and Health: What We Know and What We Need to Do Next / 4
Setting Boundaries on the Study of Church-Based Social Ties and Health / 9
Why Research on Church-Based Social Ties and Health in Late Life Is Important / 11
Overview of the Chapters That Follow / 28
Conclusions / 31
Chapter 2. Church-Based Social Support: Getting Help during Difficult Times / 33
Conceptualizing and Measuring Informal Church-Based Social Support / 35
Stress-Induced Psychosocial Deficits / 39
Mobilizing Support from Fellow Church Members / 44
Exploring the Benefits of Church-Based Social Support / 46
Sharpening the Theoretical Underpinnings of Church-Based Social Support / 53
Less Familiar Dimensions of Church-Based Social Support / 65
Bringing Different Kinds of Stressors to the Foreground / 70
Conceptual and Methodological Challenges / 75
Conclusions / 78
Chapter 3. Church-Based Companion Friends / 79
Identifying the Basic Nature of Close Companion Friends / 80
Measuring Close Companion Friendships at Church / 85
Linking Close Companion Friendships with Health and Well-Being / 91
Close Companion Friends in Late Life / 102
Close Companion Friends and Health: A Preliminary Empirical Examination / 103
Conceptual and Methodological Challenges / 106
Conclusions / 112
Chapter 4. Social Relationships That Arise from Formal Roles in the Church / 113
Formal Relationships with the Clergy / 113
Bible Study Groups and Prayer Groups / 127
Formal Relationships in Church Volunteer Programs / 134
Formal Assistance for the Homebound / 145
Conclusions / 151
Chapter 5. Negative Interaction in the Church: Exploring the Dark Side of Religion / 155
Measuring Negative Interaction in the Church / 157
Prior Research on Negative Interaction in the Church, Health, and Well-Being / 160
Negative Interaction in the Church and Health: Examining Conceptual Linkages / 162
Negative Interaction with the Clergy / 169
Negative Interaction in the Church during Late Life / 171
Conceptual and Methodological Challenges / 173
Conclusions / 185
Chapter 6. Exploring the Pervasive Influence of Social Structural Factors / 187
A Strategy for Studying Social Structural Variations in Church-Based Social Ties and Health / 189
Variations by Race: Studying Older African Americans / 192
Gender, Church-Based Social Ties, and Health in Late Life / 203
Church-Based Social Ties and Health: Variations by Socioeconomic Status / 216
Conclusions / 229
Chapter 7. Conclusions: Taking a Broader Perspective and Identifying Next Steps / 232
Core Religious Beliefs and Church-Based Social Relationships / 235
General Conceptual and Methodological Challenges / 239
Casting a Broader Net: Delving into the Dark Morass of Subjectivity / 261
Appendix. Technical Details of the Religion, Aging, and Health (RAH) Survey / 267
References / 271
Index / 303
