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

• Published in: International journal of qualitative studies on health and well-being Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 2021618
• Main Authors: Blackburn, Rowena, Jim, Carly, Paltoglou, Aspasia Eleni
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.12.2022; Taylor & Francis Ltd; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Adaptation, Psychological; Belonging; communal experience; Coping; Empirical Studies; Humans; Loneliness; Mental Health; non-religious congregation; Psychological well being; Qualitative research; Religion; religiosity; Religious congregations; Religious participation; Spirituality; Sunday assembly; thematic analysis; Well being; non-religious congregation; communal experience; thematic analysis; Sunday assembly; religiosity
• ISSN: 1748-2631; 1748-2623; 1748-2631
• DOI: 10.1080/17482631.2021.2021618

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. A qualitative approach was taken, gathering data through semi-structured interviews with participants from Sunday Assembly congregations across England. 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. 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.