Chapter 7: The Roles of Religion in Prevention and Promotion

Summary

Religion represents an important resource for efforts to prevent significant personal and social problems. Yet, far from a unitary phenomena, religions embody fundamentally different world views, interpersonal communities, and practices. This chapter describes the diverse pathways through which religions attempt to influence both the individual congregation member and the larger community and society. The varied implications of these pathways for the well-being of the individual and the social system are considered. Drawing from case studies, several distinctive roles of religion are distilled, roles which raise general questions and challenges for preventive and promotive workers in diverse disciplines. Finally, directions for more effective collaboration between religion and allied disciplines are discussed.