Established in 2022, The Abundant Life Flourishing Program is hosted at Regent University’s School of Psychology and Counseling. This program was inspired by the successful work of the Human Flourishing Program at Harvard’s Institute for Quantitative Social Science and Baylor University’s Institute for the Study of Religion. The Abundant Life Flourishing Program is dedicated to studying and advancing human flourishing, with a particular emphasis on the science of Christian flourishing. Its goal is to create systematic methodologies for integrating knowledge in Psychology and Christianity to promote the understanding of human flourishing.
The Abundant Life Flourishing Program engages in producing research publications and educational activities for the Regent University community. These activities include courses, seminars, conferences, and summer schools, all with the intention of fostering interdisciplinary dialogue and reflection. We aim to bring together knowledge from diverse fields and explore how psychology and different disciplines (e.g., Theology, Philosophy, Public Health) can form a coherent whole when studying and promoting the science of Christian flourishing.
Our framework places Christ at the center. Faith, hope, and love shape desire and direction.
Six dimensions show what abundant life looks like in daily experience: joy, meaning, character, stewardship, relationships, and health.
How the model works
The virtues function as inner orientation. The six dimensions function as visible outcomes.
The model helps leaders and researchers name where growth occurs and where strain concentrates.
How we study it
Our lab studies Christian flourishing in real communities. We build measures, test theory, and partner with churches and networks.
We use survey tools and mixed methods to map how faith, relationships, and context shape thriving.
The framework gives churches and scholars a shared language for formation, well-being, and witness.
It also supports measurement that respects theology while meeting scientific standards.
A research lab for Christian flourishing in real communities.
We study how faith, relationships, and context shape thriving for more than
two billion Christians worldwide. Our work brings psychology and theology
together to support churches, leaders, and everyday believers.
English