The University of Chicago has announced a $1.8 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation in Radnor, Pennsylvania, to launch the first comprehensive study examining the relationship between religious attitudes and health.

The multi-disciplinary study will be coupled with ongoing work funded by the National Institute on Aging that is designed to understand the connections between longevity and loneliness. According to University of Chicago psychology professor John Cacioppo, the leader of both studies, measurable effects of strong spirituality, regardless of religion, include improved physiological functioning, health, and well being — benefits that accrue over time and are an important aspect of aging with dignity.

The grant also will enable researchers to do additional research, including a study of young adults that explores their mental representation of God; a study of older members of the NIA project that looks at the way belief promotes good mental health and reduces feelings of loneliness and depression; a study examining whether religious belief diminishes social conflicts, improves sleep, and provides for successful aging; and a study to determine the relationship between cardiovascular health and belief in God.