University of Denver Fall 2023

organization can have a social impact, says Stanton, because of the way houses of worship have been communities in the U.S. But it doesn’t mean that people are less religious. During COVID, some people stopped going to services entirely, while others kept up with services online, says Stanton. Many have yet to return to a physical house of worship. “It doesn’t necessarily mean religious disengagement, but what it might mean is that somebody who is interested in discovering or doing scriptural study or developing more of a prayer habit might be doing that by themselves with an app now, and maybe they’re engaging with people online,” says Stanton, who also studies technology and online religion. “The religious connection may be there,” she adds. “But the social connection, the community connection isn’t there as much.” That loss of social connection is cause for concern, according to U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy. In his May 2023 report entitled, “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation,” Murthy sounded the alarm, calling social connection “a critical and underappreciated contributor to individual and population health, community safety, resilience and prosperity.” The report notes that, in addition to a drop in religious participation, participation in other organizations that have been important pillars of community, such as clubs and labor unions, has also declined. “Far Losing religion, losing social connection

increased 31% during that time. This represents a steady growth in the Muslim population due to immigration and birth rates, according to the survey. Andrea Stanton, associate professor of Islamic studies in the Department of Religious Studies, sees the growing attendance at mosques as a reflection of the American tradition of belonging to a congregation. “In most parts of the historical Muslim world and Muslim-majority world, mosques are not the nucleus of religious communities,” says Stanton. “People tend to pray in the one near them because it’s convenient. Also, in some Muslim communities, women rarely went to mosques and instead prayed at home, meaning that only half the community might attend a mosque.” The American concept of congregation, she says, likely comes from British history. “A house of worship isn’t just a place you go and pray, it’s also a place you donate money to, volunteer at and affiliate with. People talk about ‘belonging.’ That’s a congregation. What that’s meant for most minority religious traditions is when they come to the U.S. and continue their religious practices, people start to become part of congregations.” Stanton points to earlier Muslim immigrant communities in the U.S. where people would get married at a mosque. “That’s not a Muslim practice. Historically, Muslims don’t get married in mosque,” she says. But a mosque in the U.S. would have a social hall, so that’s where American Muslims would celebrate a wedding. Disaffiliating from a religious

too many Americans lack social connection in one or more ways, compromising these benefits and leading to poor health and other negative outcomes,” Murthy says. In 2018, only 16% of Americans reported that they felt very attached to their local community, according to the report. In response to this trend, the University of Denver has made wellness and connection a key element of the 4D experience, a holistic model for student learning and development. In addition to advancing intellectual growth, pursuing careers and lives of purpose, and exploring character, 4D promotes well-being in which students learn how to achieve social, emotional, physical and spiritual wellness, as well as develop meaningful connections to others. The DU experts we spoke to agree that faith-based institutions and religious groups—both big and small, in person or virtual—can play an important role in the social infrastructure of a community. The participants and why and how they participate may be shifting, but for those who do, religious spaces offer a way to alleviate isolation, serve their communities and find meaning and purpose in their lives. Rabbi Knight sums up the impor tance of religious community this way: “It’s more than a community —it’s the living embodiment of our shared values. It’s where we not only care and have fun with each other, but also unite in prayer, learning and mutual support. It’s where our beliefs take form in the world, strengthening each of us individually and all of us collectively.”

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