Religiousness and Spirituality

Two of the most challenging topics in the realm of the study of religion are, and have always been, Religiousness and Spirituality. Adopting a sociological approach, the present essay aims at studying the role of spirituality and religiousness in the social functioning of the elderly. The research, of which this paper is a representative, is based on a long-term study conducted by a research institute in the University of California in 1920s. This longitudinal study has examined the factors involved in the rise of religiousness and spirituality among a group of Americans throughout some decades of their life span; the extent and characteristics of the increase were also measured. The key issue of the study was the review of common patterns in religiousness and spirituality, and their relation with social functions in the elder ages. The authors first come up with some certain definitions of religiousness and spirituality, and then examine the grounds of the rise of religiousness and spirituality in the older adulthood. Then, they present how religiousness affects people's satisfaction of the life. They finally illustrate the role of religion and spirituality in setting goals for life and turning the older adulthood to a period of vital involvement in social functioning.