Americans are a religious people. More than nine in ten believe in God or a higher power, six in ten say they pray often, and more than half say religion is very important in their daily lives. But there are also religious questions on which Americans divide – including the literal truth of the Bible, the issue of evolution versus creation, and even on whether or not people with strong religious beliefs are discriminated against in this country. The religious divide has a political side, too. Half of those Americans who attend services nearly every week approve of the way President Bush is handling his job, while most of those who attend religious services less often do not.

Exercise and eating well are not the only ways to increase life expectancy.  A new study found that people who attend religious services weekly live longer. Detailed in the Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, the study revealed an added 1.8-3.1 years to life expectancy for churchgoers. Based on a review of existing research, the findings also showed regular physical exercise adds 3.0-5.1 years and proven therapeutic regimens adds 2.1-3.7 years.

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New data from the annual tracking survey of religious behavior and beliefs conducted by The Barna Group reveals that there has been a significant increase in religious activity related to five of the seven core religious behaviors  studied by the company...