ABSTRACT
The question of what makes for a happy life has been a subject of philosophical enquiry going back to Aristotle, but has been relatively neglected in modern times. Meanwhile, the last fifty years has seen a burgeoning scientific interest in happiness. Insights into the factors that affect happiness are emerging from a growing sociological and psychological literature. One of the significant factors in the mix that has received considerable attention is religion. Religious people are happier than their non-believing neighbors. In this chapter, I review the results of the recent studies on the relationship between religion and happiness, and consider the theories proposed to explain the link. The evidence supporting an association between religion and happiness is strong, but only recently has attention been paid to the question of why there is an association. There have still been relatively few empirical studies into the causal direction and mechanisms underlying the relationship, so I shall also consider the direction of future research. One key issue that will be explored is whether there is a relationship between theism and happiness. Are religious beliefs, and in particular a belief in God (or gods), part of the explanation of the association between religion and happiness, or are theistic beliefs irrelevant to the association?
