Churches and Faith Communities as Third Places/ 1 of 5
This exhibit is just one element of a broader campus response to Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy’s 2023 advisory — Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation. As Dr. Murthy makes clear, loneliness is a serious problem nationwide, which means it is also a serious problem on the Boston College campus. This exhibit presumes “3rd places” are part of our remedy and explores how churches/faith communities can (and do) function in this role. Please note that the Catholic Church figures most prominently herein, but there are many commonalities with other denominations.
Key points from Murthy’s advisory
- Loneliness is a public health crisis and poses a profound threat to well-being both
individually and societally - A significant percentage of adults and teens in the U.S. are lonely, and the problem is
demonstrably growing - Personal health consequences of loneliness:
- Hikes premature death rate comparably to smoking 15 cigarettes per day
- Heightens the risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia
- Worsens depression, anxiety, and cognitive function
- Weakens the immune system
- Society suffers too since persistent loneliness impacts productivity, engagement, and
resilience in schools, workplaces, communities…
“What drives these profound health and well-being outcomes? Social connection is a fundamental human need, as essential to survival as food, water, and shelter. Throughout history, our ability to rely on one another has been crucial to survival. Now, even in modern times, we human beings are biologically wired for social connection. Our brains have adapted to expect proximity to others.”1
Dr. Murthy recommends a national strategy:
“We are called to build a movement to mend the social fabric of our nation. It will take all of us—individuals and families, schools and workplaces, health care and public health systems, technology companies, governments, faith organizations, and communities—working together to destigmatize loneliness and change our cultural and policy response to it. It will require reimagining the structures, policies, and programs that shape a community to best support the development of healthy relationships.”2
We meet lonely people every day, but can we recognize their struggle?