Religion in Times of Crisis

In light of all the economic and financial troubles across the country, I thought examining religions role in times of crisis would be applicable to our class ideas and current events. From my observations and research, it seems to me that people are naturally driven to religious beliefs in times of crisis and despair. The Great Depression, WW I & II, Vietnam, and 9/11, as well as several other tragic events have signified a surplus of religious followers to cope and find religious guidance regarding these inciting tragedies. People feel secure if religious faith backs up their conscience in life, especially if their life is filled with tragedy and overall trouble. Religion serves as a form of knowledge and belief where answers and guidance can be derived, which especially helps during times of crisis.


The most timely widespread tragedy that affects many is the recent recession and global financial economic meltdown. As a result of this downturn, retail stores wait for customers while church pews fill in with people looking for enlightenment just as quick as the worlds money floats away. For external web content, I found an article while searching religion in the news, a LA newspaper group called The Daily Bulletin wrote an article titled, "As times worsen, many turn to religion for help, comfort ," which identifies the increased role of religious faith within Americans after hard times, specifically referring to the current economic hard times.

The article states, "In times of affluence and prosperity there is a tendency to be forgetful of the divine, but when a crisis hits, it is natural for people to drift toward institutionalized religion or spirituality. People are hoping to find comfort and a source of optimism." It is clear that across the country, as a result of rough times, religious entities benefit and increase in size and fellowship. People now a days have lost their investments, their homes, their hard-earned money, and now most Americans feel like they have been cheated, with recent scandals in the news. All this tragedy currently embedded in our society transpires faith within people, proving to be an increasing popular coping method. The question to ask then is, what else inspires religious impulse and motivation in people other than hardships?

The article states, furthering the notion that people flock to religion in hard times, "Rabbi Sholom Harlig...in Rancho Cucamonga is getting more calls than before, he states, "'I'm spending a lot of time trying to help people, to counsel them, they are very, very worried.'" Humans naturally want to conjure beliefs/values in their brains to satisfy unknown questions, and to alleviate hardships. Churches want to help, comfort and encourage, to offer a sense of hope for their followers in times of financial crisis, it apparently takes a crisis for several people to allow themselves into God's way. This recent influx of people seeking guidance from religion resembles the period after 9/11, and other tragedies. When things go wrong, people look for things to blame, and look for answers. It is only natural that humans flock to religion and prayer for answers, and justification for their hardships. People consult with the church regarding lay offs or losing homes, as well as troubling marriages. The article also points out a 10 to 20 % increase in overall church attendance since last summer. Churches are getting several distress calls from congregation members each week, just as quick as the economy is plunging.

To further the notion that humans naturally conjure thoughts to create pictures of God for religious belief, especially for religious belief in a time of crisis, Mark Lilla is quoted from The Stillborn God,
"All religions...face a common challenge: to make relations among God, man, and world...offer[ing] pictures...[one must] unravel...God is at the center of all such pictures, and depending on how we conceive of him, our images of man and world can change. The picture itself revolves around the presence of God, where he is and where he can be sought in space and time" (Lilla 24).
Essentially this quote from this text describes how we create our own images of God within our lives. He describes how God is at "the center" of all deciphered pictures of the world people create in their brains, thus highlighting the significant increase of church goers during a time of crisis. As we all create our own unraveled images of God for our own purposes, such as an economic plunge, which proves to inspire more religious followers.


Works Cited:

DiMartino, Mediha. "As Times Worsen, Many Turn to Religion for Help, Comfort." Daily Bulletin. 2008. Los Angeles Newspaper Group. 23 Mar. 2009 .

Lilla, Mark. The Stillborn God: Religion, Politics, and the Modern West. New York: Vintage Books, 2008.