Autumn 2022, Volume 49
Features
Religion and Happiness
According to the 2019 Pew Research Center survey, in the United States and more than two dozen other countries, people who actively practice religion are relatively happier than those who do not or those who have no religious affiliation at all.
Other findings show, however, that in economically developed, democratic countries, where personal freedom is highly valued, religiosity is much less tied to happiness than to personal independence. Other research suggests that people of some religions are happier and more satisfied than people who belong to other religions.
On the face of it, a primary goal of religious practice would naturally seem to be happiness, but there are many arguments against happiness being the first priority of religion. As some schools of psychology hold that happiness is a result of self-actualization or the creation of meaning in one’s life, religion may provide an objective or give meaning to people’s lives, but not necessarily happiness. The content of the definition of “happiness” is also open to debate, and may be defined differently across cultures and religious traditions.
Does religion make people happy? Is happiness the goal of religion? How are religion and personal freedom correlated? How does the subjective perception of happiness, which is an individual’s emotions or feelings, correlate with an objective evaluation of well-being? Does the meaning or the objective that religion provides always bring happiness to its adherents?
On the basis of these questions, the feature pages explore relations between religion and happiness.
Religion in Its True Sense
by Masashi Hashimoto
The Quest for Happiness in Interreligious Perspective
by Leo D. Lefebure
While there are important differences between Buddhist and Christian worldviews, both traditions share a concern for seeking true wisdom as the only path to lasting happiness.
Buddhist Happiness Compared with Other Religious Views of Happiness
by Michael Givel
All major religious traditions are predicated on moral codes, which are the keys to living a happy life.
Does Religion Make Us Happier?
by Kayonda Hubert Ngamaba
A positive correlation between religion and subjective well-being has been reported in the empirical research.
Making the Case for Religion as a Means to Happiness
by Yoshihide Sakurai
We must speak afresh about the relationship between religion and happiness, in a way that people of no particular religious faith can understand.
Be Who You Are
An Interview with Rev. Kodo Nishimura
Kodo Nishimura, born in Tokyo in 1989, is a person of many faces—Buddhist monk, makeup artist, LGBTQ+ activist, model. After graduating from the Parsons School of Design in New York City, Nishimura pursued a career as a makeup artist, working behind the scenes of the Miss Universe pageant and New York Fashion Week. In 2015, he began his training as a monk in Japan, and was certified by the Pure Land school. As an activist, he has spoken at the United Nations Population Fund and Zojoji temple in Tokyo, as well as at Yale and Stanford Universities. His story has attracted wide-ranging media attention, from magazines such as Lion’s Roar, Tricycle, and Vogue to the New York Times, CNN and BBC News. In 2021 Nishimura was selected by TIME as a Next Generation Leader. His book This Monk Wears Heels: Be Who You Are has been published in seven languages, including Japanese and English.
Essay
The Contribution of Interreligious Dialogue to the Achievement of Peace
by Abraham Skorka
Religious leaders in our time must be models of the mutual respect that should characterize all human relationships.
Buddhism’s Role in Peacebuilding
by Somboon Chungprampree
Socially Engaged Buddhism is a wonderful way to cultivate peace by peaceful means.
Role of Religious Leaders in Enhancing Commitment to Respect Peace and Value People of Diverse Faiths
by Bishop Dr. Munib A. Younan
God calls us to work together on shared challenges in eradicating the ills of our society.
Reflections
Living Our Daily Lives as Expected
by Nichiko Niwano
Niwano Peace Prize
What Is God’s Dream for All of Us?
Excerpts from the 39th Niwano Peace Prize acceptance address
by Father Michael Lapsley, SSM
In an online presentation ceremony on June 14, 2022, the Niwano Peace Foundation awarded the 39th Niwano Peace Prize to Anglican Father Michael Lapsley, SSM, of South Africa, for his relentless struggle against apartheid, his continued support of the liberation movement in South Africa, and his global peacebuilding initiatives.
Rissho Kosei-kai Buddhism
Engaging with the Religious Myth and Metaphor of the Lotus Sutra (II): The Bodhisattva Regarder of the Sounds of the World
by Dominick Scarangello
If we consider the Bodhisattva Regarder of the Sounds of the World as an archetype, she can inspire us and show us how a bodhisattva who has perfected their character does the work of the Buddha in the world.
