National research has finally quantified what Christians have always known: believing makes you a better person.

Popular stereotypes of the dour-faced Christian are crumbling in the face of new research revealing religious people have higher levels of well-being.

The same research is showing that religious people are more likely to contribute to others, give money to charities and carry out voluntary service than people with a secular outlook.

The findings are drawn from research carried out by Edith Cowan and Deakin Universities, in conjunction with the National Church Life Survey and Anglicare (Sydney).

The randomised survey questioned 1,514 people during 2002-2003 regarding their security and its effect on their sense of well-being.

The resulting report, Spirituality and Wellbeing in Australia, suggests that Australia's drift towards a more secular society is damaging the community's sense of well-being.

Researcher Dr Peter Kaldor says the results show people with a more secular outlook on life have lower levels of wellbeing than those with a spiritual orientation.

“Those with a spiritual orientation tend to score higher on many of the wellbeing measures included in the study. They tend to have a greater sense of purpose in life, a greater openness to personal growth, and more optimism about life”, he says.

"These results suggest that exploration of spirituality and well-being may be important to a healthy society," Dr Kaldor says.

But not any sort of spiritual exploration will do.

Society's well-being is more likely to benefit from religious people than those following alternative spiritualities.

Dr Kaldor says both provide people with a personal sense of purpose, but religious orientations like Christianity are more likely to create outward concern.

“While both are linked to a positive sense of purpose in life, those with a religious orientation tend to have a greater sense of purpose than those involved in alternative spiritualities," Dr Kaldor says.

"Those involved in alternative spiritualities are less likely to contribute to charities or to community groups than people with a religious orientation."

Anglicare researcher Dr John Bellamy says the results should challenge church-based charities to stick to their core values.

"The research shows that people who are practising Christians are more likely than most other Australians to support charities," Dr Bellamy says.

The full report can be viewed in the research section of the NCLS website.