Church-based social support and religious coping

The purpose of this study is twofold: to explore the nature of church-based social support, and to see whether support received in religious settings is related to the use of religious coping methods. The data come fi-om a na tionwide survey of members of the Presbyterian Church USA. Three dimensions of religious support are examined in detail: emotional support from church members, spiritual support from church members, and emotional support from the pastor, These dimensions of support are used to evaluate an issue that has been largely overlooked in the literature-the relationship between rel igious support and religious coping. The findings reveal that people are es pecially inclined to use positive religious coping responses when they rece ive spiritual support from church members. Even though emotional support fr om the pastor also increases the use af religious coping methods, the relat ionship is not as strong. Finally, emotional support from church members ha s no effect.