Deep Recession = Deeper Questions? Benita Hewitt Director, Christian Research

Introduction ► What did we do? ► 2005 interviews with a nationally representative sample of UK adults ► Conducted by Research Now th April 09 ► Why? To find out … ► who is searching for more meaning in their lives ► what has prompted them to search ► where they considered looking ► what action they took ► what they found helpful and would consider doing again

How have we defined a ‘searcher’? ► Someone who has had cause to reconsider their core values, or think about the big issues like ‘the meaning of life’, in the last year

How many are searching? Base: Total Sample (2005)

Who is searching? ► Over 70% of … ► all age groups from 18 to over 65 ► males and females ► every region in Great Britain ► all social grades except the lowest (67% of Es)

What has prompted the search? } Any of these = 70% Base: Total Sample (2005)

Where do searchers look?

No. 1 is ‘spending more time with family and friends’ The most important thing is to love and be loved

No. 1 is ‘spending more time with family and friends’ Jesus said ‘I give you a new commandment: love one another’ John 13.34

Recent research by Charities Aid Foundation John Low, Chief Executive, said: ‘While nobody would have wished for the recession, society may emerge the healthier for it. Circumstances are bringing many families closer together …

No. 2 is ‘contacting past friends’ Base: searchers (1472) The most important thing is to love and be loved

Searching for love … ► RECORD NUMBERS LOG ON FOR LOVE AS INTERNET DATING SITES BUCK CREDIT CRUNCH ► During the credit crunch the number of subscribers at Christian Connection, the UK’s leading Christian dating site, increased by more than 40 per cent ► It’s a similar picture for sister dating site Ivory Towers, specifically serving graduates ► One mainstream US dating site reported a massive increase in people joining on September 29 - the day the Dow Jones fell by 700

No. 3 (considered) Doing voluntary/community work But, only 54% of those who consider it actually do it!

No. 3 (that’s worth it) Praying After spending more time with friends and family, praying is the most helpful activity

Given everything that was tried, what was the least helpful?

Only around 4 in 10 of those who considered horoscopes actually used them and found them helpful

Are women or men more likely to spend time away alone to reflect on life?

17% considered 11% tried 10% found it helpful 19% considered 10% tried 9% found it helpful Men are equally likely to find spending reflective time alone helpful

23% of the population do not have a religion and are searching … They are more likely to be middle class and younger do they even consider going to church?

Not really! They are more likely to be middle class and younger

Where do the ‘non- religious’ searchers consider looking?

What do they find most helpful? The most important thing is to love and be loved

Hierarchy of needs Self – actualisation Esteem Love/Belonging Safety Physiological They are mainly searching and looking for stability here Secondarily, those with no religion look here Secondarily, Christians look to prayer, the church and Bible

Jesus said ‘I give you a new commandment: love one another’ John (GNB)