Study Links Churchgoing to Happier Marriages, More Sex

An Institute for Family Studies report drawing on survey and General Social Survey data finds that married adults who attend religious services regularly are more likely than less active or unaffiliated adults to report happy marriages and sexual satisfaction. In the survey, 62% of regular churchgoers said they had sex at least weekly, compared with 48% of married people with no religion; churchgoing Catholics and Protestants also reported higher rates of very happy marriages than unaffiliated respondents. The report says religious participation, rather than Christian identity alone, is more closely associated with these outcomes, and finds regular churchgoers are less likely to have divorced or separated. The findings come amid declining religious attendance and marriage rates, but the report is produced by a conservative organization that advocates for marriage and traditional family structures; available reporting also leaves unclear whether same-sex couples were included, limiting how broadly the results can be applied.