Women in free Christian countries and wellbeing
Protecting and providing
opportunities to potentially vulnerable individuals mark an advanced and compassionate
society.
Prior data by Teleios
showed that populations in countries with greater freedom, which typically are
Christian, demonstrated better overall wellbeing, and other legal, educational,
and social measures that could enhance wellbeing, than in countries that
persecute Christians (https://teleiosresearch.com/impactofchristianpersecutiononfreedomandwellbeing/).
Teleios recently also evaluated wellbeing and associated economic and legal measures that could affect wellbeing of women specifically, who in some cultures are considered vulnerable due to repression and abuse (https://teleiosresearch.com/the-effect-of-christian-persecution-on-wellbeing-of-women/).
For our analysis we used the top 50 countries from the Human Freedom Index compared to the 50 top countries persecuting Christianity from the Open Doors 2018 World Watch List (https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/).
This study found that women in the freest countries, compared to countries that persecute Christians, demonstrated greater mean wellbeing (23% vs.18% thriving; scale range 0-100).
Further, women in freer countries also showed better scores in each measure analyzed that potentially could affect the wellbeing of women (free countries' values listed first): literacy rate (98% vs. 77%), life expectancy (83 vs. 73 years), school life expectancy (17 vs. 12 years), labor force participation (54% vs. 44%), maternal mortality rate (15 vs. 180 per 100,000), lifetime experience of violence (22% vs. 34%), sex trafficking (20 vs. 57; scale range 0-100), and life satisfaction (6.6 vs. 5.1; scale range 0-10; P ≤ 0.006 for each comparison).
Teleios recently also evaluated wellbeing and associated economic and legal measures that could affect wellbeing of women specifically, who in some cultures are considered vulnerable due to repression and abuse (https://teleiosresearch.com/the-effect-of-christian-persecution-on-wellbeing-of-women/).
For our analysis we used the top 50 countries from the Human Freedom Index compared to the 50 top countries persecuting Christianity from the Open Doors 2018 World Watch List (https://www.opendoorsusa.org/christian-persecution/world-watch-list/).
This study found that women in the freest countries, compared to countries that persecute Christians, demonstrated greater mean wellbeing (23% vs.18% thriving; scale range 0-100).
Further, women in freer countries also showed better scores in each measure analyzed that potentially could affect the wellbeing of women (free countries' values listed first): literacy rate (98% vs. 77%), life expectancy (83 vs. 73 years), school life expectancy (17 vs. 12 years), labor force participation (54% vs. 44%), maternal mortality rate (15 vs. 180 per 100,000), lifetime experience of violence (22% vs. 34%), sex trafficking (20 vs. 57; scale range 0-100), and life satisfaction (6.6 vs. 5.1; scale range 0-10; P ≤ 0.006 for each comparison).
In addition, of the top 50 countries on the Human Freedom Index, 35 were listed as Christian countries by the Central Intelligence Agency versus 4 of the persecuting countries (P < 0.01).
Our study suggests that women in countries that are most free not only demonstrate better wellbeing but these nations overwhelmingly are associated with numerous legal, security, health, and educational advantages potentially associated with enhanced wellbeing for women.
Importantly, free
countries are much more likely to be Christian. In contrast, countries which persecute
Christians also are associated with poorer measures for women's freedom, life
satisfaction, and wellbeing.
Women empower the church
Women in the church
offer a rich resource for all aspects of Christian life. So much of the work of
the church rests on the capable shoulders of women. Christianity historically
offered women the chance to progress in society, compared to prior Roman and Greek
cultures, where their capacity to function outside the home was extremely
limited. Even in the Middle Ages, the Renaissance and Enlightenment time-periods,
women in Christian societies often amassed wealth and exercised political
power.
In the Bible the Apostle
Paul noted some differences between men and women, specifically when he was addressing
specific issues of congregational worship within certain troubled churches (1
Cor 14:34-35; 1Tim2:8-12); and family structure (marriage exists to symbolize
the role between Christ and the church as an evangelical outreach [Eph. 5:21-33]).
However, the vast majority of promises and admonishments to holy living in the
epistles are the same between women and men.
Women and men together
serve in faith before God to spread the gospel do the work at the church. The Christian religion heightens the value and
dignity of women both historically, and now, compared to other cultures.
Join us again soon as we explore more fascinating details of how the Bible helps our society and our individual lives.
For
questions or to view more of our research…
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specific question, I suggest you contact experts in that field and or do your
own research into the scriptures.
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