We examine whether religious activity is associated with longer life expectancy and active life expectancy in European Union countries using data from the first five waves of the Survey of Health and Retirement in Europe (SHARE, 2004–2011). Life expectancy and active life expectancy by gender, religious activity, and country were calculated from incidence-based multistate life tables that were constructed based on estimated transition probabilities. Measures of six activities of daily living (ADLs) and seven instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs) are used to define active and inactive life with inactivity defined as having difficulty or requiring help in any one of the ADLs or IADLs. Our results show that religious activity is strongly related to life expectancy and active life expectancy at age 50. Older people who take part in religious activities live longer and spend more years active than those who do not take part.
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