Pope Francis at age 82 made a name for himself with his forward-thinking learnings. Speaking at the Vatican in 2018 addressing diseases, the Pope advocated for preventive lifestyle changes including physical activity, proper diet, and “respect for the ‘health codes’ practiced by various religions [1].” In keeping with the Church’s teaching that your body is your temple of worship, Pope Francis said ‘many evils’ could be avoided if greater attention was paid to living a good lifestyle. The Pope did not admonish science in his speech but instead said that “science is a powerful means for better understanding the natural world and human health.”
According to many PEW research studies for nearly a decade, more and more people are steering away from traditional religion and steering towards the gym. There has always been a strong connection between wellness and faith. They are not separate, but instead they are to be taught together and together one can use success in one to gain success in the other. Roughly 84% of the world’s population identifies with a religious group, and nearly every faith in some way holds very high both the body’s capabilities and our human duty to maintain good health.
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[1] Article in the Telegraph April 28, 2018.