Do you ever think about what happens when we die, whether we have a soul, or what the meaning of life is? New research is shedding light on the difficulties that may be facing you. Researchers a the University of Southern Denmark have conducted the world’s largest study on spiritual and existential needs, revealing a significant need among Danes. The results have just been published in the journal Lancet Regional Health, Europe (https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(23)00020-0/fulltext).
In 2021, more than 100,000 Danes were invited to participate in the largest questionnaire survey ever conducted on spiritual and existential needs. They were asked 20 questions, all related to these topics. Over 80 percent of those who responded reported experiencing at least one strong or very strong spiritual need in the past month. 106,000 Danes received the survey in their e-box. 26,678 participated (25.6%). Of the included participants, 19,507 (81.9%) reported at least one strong or very strong spiritual need in the past month.
Danes do not talk much about their beliefs and personal values and have a low degree of religious practice. But as the study shows, Danes have the same needs for inner peace, meaning, faith, and hope as seen in more religious countries
According to Tobias Anker Stripp, a medical doctor and PhD student who is the lead author of the study, one of the study’s authors, “We live in a society where religion and spirituality are taboo and something we rarely talk about with each other. What we believe in, why we are here, what happens when we die. And we might be led to believe that it’s not important, or something we shouldn’t concern ourselves with in the healthcare system. But our study convincingly shows that these topics are important to Danes.
Participants were asked about their need for finding inner peace and doing something for others, with these two topics being the most highly valued.
Experiencing inner peace and giving something of oneself to others are classic existential or spiritual needs, says Dr. Strip. And even though we don’t always verbalize it that way, most of us intuitively feel that this is important. About one-fifth of Danes have also reported a religious need—that is, a need directly related to belief in something greater. All of this we have now shown in numbers.
AR #119
Wedding Taboos
by Dr. Rita Louise
