Half of Americans have had a spiritual transformation experience, and 35 percent of those are not born-again Christians, according to newly released research from the University of Chicago.
Most “changers” were part of a religious community when they had the experience and reported an increased commitment to God that has lasted for many years, the study found.
Many transformations occurred early in life and at a turbulent time — during an illness or after an accident or a relationship breakup.
Tom W. Smith, the study’s author, was surprised by the reported endurance of the behavioral changes, which also included becoming more compassionate and quitting bad habits.
“I expected a deterioration,” Smith said, noting that 13 years, on average, have passed since most respondents’ experiences. “They’re not still tingling from the change.”
The question was posed to 1,328 adults in 2004 as the religion component of the General Social Survey by the university’s National Opinion Research Center.
Fundamentalist and evangelical Christians reported the highest percentage of changers (72 percent).
These groups are more poised for a change experience because their language encourages it, Smith said.
But nearly half of Protestants in moderate and liberal denominations and 30 percent of Catholics also reported transformations. Jews, Muslims and other religious groups were omitted from the report because of small sample sizes.
Transformations were least likely in New England (24 percent) and most common in the South (about 60 percent).
About 15 percent more blacks reported spiritual transformations than those of other racial backgrounds.
The survey marked the first time a quantitative study asked open-ended questions about transformations, Smith said.
“We asked ‘What was it like? How has it changed your life?’” he said. Language from the answers — for example, how many times Jesus was mentioned — was evaluated mathematically.
Smith expects other researchers will build on the anecdotal answers, examining them in new ways. He also expects further research based on the finding that changers were more likely than others to describe their lives as “exciting” as opposed to “routine” or “dull” in the General Social Survey.
The Pennsylvania-based John Templeton Foundation, which supports scientific research in religion, funded the study.
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