Topic 132: By-Products of Church Attendance

Carol:

Church: Not Just Good for the Soul     

  

I’m not   going to write about the obvious reasons people attend church (saving one’s soul, receiving spiritual nourishment, obedience to church rules, fellowship, etc.). And I’m not even going to write about the not-so-obvious reasons because somebody has already written a book on that. It’s called 52 (Good) Reasons to go to Church) Besides the Obvious Ones, a 2004 publication of  ACTA.
 

ACTA is a “religious” publishing house, that is you won’t find 52 Ways to Leave Your Lover on its catalogue list. You will find materials for “those attempting to live out the Christian faith in their daily lives, on their jobs, with their families, and in their communities” (source: ACTA website). Although there is a heavy emphasis on Catholic publications, ACTA has branched out to attract a more ecumenical audience . You may be wondering why I appear to be plugging ACTA and its book. I guess I’m interested for the one of the same reasons I like to go to church—curiosity about who people are, how they got there.

Okay, so I was hoping for a quick way out today…my overnight company left at 7 a.m. and my niece is dropping off a 3-year old kidlet for me to babysit in half an hour. My time is a little short today. What happened on the way to looking for a quick out? My usual curiosity that leads to quirky research trails.I got to the website because I googled our topic. The publisher’s blurb  describes 52 (Good)Reasons to go to Church as a “fun” book with “scientifically corroborated” benefits for attending church regularly. 
 

I couldn’t  read the book without ordering it. The price is right ($5.95) and it sounds interesting, but it didn’t meet the “I need it right now” part. I decided to find out more about the authors, of which there are four: Paul McFate, J. Daniel Dymski, Melvin L. Farrell, and Alaric Lewis. Clicking on the authors’ names gets a brief biography, which really hooked me. Alaric Lewis has published several books and seems to focus on grief counseling and music therapy. His bio says he lives and teaches in Rome. Not to give them short shrift, but Dymski is Father Daniel (diocese of Erie, Pennsylvania) and Farrell appears to be Father Melvin, both of whom have published books on the Catholic faith.  I imagine a “fun little book” about going to church is a light respite from their usual writing interests.
 

What about Paul McFate? If you want to know more about him, you can look at his Facebook page, or his Linkedin page, or subscribe to his Twitter, or you can visit his blog  “As McFate Would Have it.” This guy is a 21st century communicator. And his bio shows why. He is a communications specialist for the Latter Day Saints Foundation   in Provo, Utah.  Sounds like he provides the “ecumenical” breadth that ACTA refers to. A brief “nibble” at his website shows, for example, a breezy, funny side to having a root canal and just enough self-deprecation to make me consider buying their book.

In the meantime, what can I find out on my own about “scientific corroboration” before my babysitting duties commence? Regular church attendance (sorry, you Easter and Christmas drop-ins):
•    Reduces blood pressure (source: Gillum and Ingram)
•    Increases longevity (source: NPR)
•    Raises GPA of your children (source: Britt )
Well, I hear a sweet little voice downstairs and I need to finish this essay so that I can join the fun.  I don’t need to tell you about the by-products of hanging out with small children, do I?


Sources:
ACTA homepage. About Us.

Britt, Robert Roy. “Church Attendance Boosts Student GPA’s.” 2008 Livescience.com 

Gillum, R. Frank, and Deborah D. Ingram. “Frequency of Attendance at Religious Services…” 2006

McFate et al. 52 (Good) Reasons to Go to Church.
Paul McFate blog, “As McFate Would Have It” 

NPR. “Study Links Church Attendance and Longevity.” 12 July 2004)
        

Megan:

Although Mom was telling the truth when she said that SHE volunteered to babysit , I am still going to use the child as MY excuse not to write today.