Do Charismatic Experiences Make People More Religious and Happier?
Hui-Tzu Grace Chou, Utah Valley State College, chougr@uvsc.edu Previous research has found that the charismatic movement, characterized by miracles, spiritual gifts, speaking in tongues, ecstatic worship style, personal relationship with the divine, etc., has affected Christianity in several ways: for example, this movement is positively associated with evangelism and church growth, and charismatic clergy are more satisfied with their ministry. This research extends current knowledge by examining whether the charismatic experiences make people more religious and happier. Data from the General Social Survey are used to test these hypotheses. After controlling for some basic demographic variables, the results of multivariate analysis indicate that people who participate in the charismatic movement are indeed more religious; however, they are not happier than those who are not involved in the charismatic movement. The results suggest that ecstatic and supernatural experience can help peop
