Why Do We Act? Exploring the Connection Between Spirituality and Civic Engagement

Speaking to spirituality can inspire people to take action.

The Fetzer Institute, which seeks to “restore public life through spiritual renewal,” asked the Hattaway team to explore answers to a profound question: What does spirituality mean to people in the United States today—and what effect does it have on community and political engagement?

Working with an advisory group of academic researchers and the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago, we delved into that question with 16 focus groups, 26 “life story” interviews, and a national survey of 3,600 adults.

The study found spirituality to be an aspiration for many Americans: Three in five respondents (61%) said they aspired to be more spiritual. Studies show that people will take actions that help them live up to their “aspirational identity”—their idea of the kind of person they hope to be.

This points to a strong connection between spirituality and civic engagement. The more spiritual a person was, the more likely they were to take all kinds of civic and political action—from donating money to volunteering, voting, and more.

Explore the insights: Study of Spirituality in the United States