Medical science is increasingly documenting the link between spirituality and physical health. A TIME cover story this past June reported a new study showing that one of the strongest predictors of survival after heart surgery is the degree to which patients draw strength and comfort from religion and that people who regularly attend religious services usually have lower blood pressure, less heart disease, lower rates of depression and better health overall than those who do not.
Yet the effect of spirituality on the health of individuals ignores the much greater potential benefits from links between organized faith groups and their surrounding...
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