International Journal of Membrane Science and Technology, 2023, Vol. 10, No. 3, pp 648-656 648 Spirituality and Academic Performance: Exploring the Interplay for Students Vitalian Christophere L. Napone 1* , Gladys L. Lagura 2 1 College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Caraga State University, Butuan City, Philippines; E-mail: vlnapone@carsu.edu.ph 2 College of Education, Caraga State University, Butuan City, Philippines Abstracts: This study aimed to explore the association between students' spirituality level at Caraga State University and their academic performance. Spiritual health and life orientation were assessed using the Spiritual Health and Life Orientation Measure (SHALOM) developed by John Fisher, while academic performance was measured in terms of Grade-Point Average (GPA). A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 366 randomly selected participants through stratified random sampling with colleges as strata. Descriptive statistics, including averages and percentages, were utilized to assess the participants' spirituality level and academic performance. Additionally, Pearson's R Correlation test was applied to investigate the relationship between spirituality and academic performance. The results indicated that the participants at Caraga State University generally exhibited good spirituality, with an average score of 4.23. Most students demonstrated very good academic performance. The study found a positive, yet weak correlation between students' spirituality and academic performance, which was not statistically significant, with a coefficient of 0.049 and a p-value of 0.347. This weak and insignificant relationship can be attributed to the majority of students having a consistently high level of spirituality. The findings suggest that promoting spirituality within the school environment remains beneficial, as it does not adversely impact education. Furthermore, spirituality appears to be non-discriminatory, as both academically-inclined and non-academically-inclined students place equal value and importance on spirituality. Therefore, fostering spirituality in the university setting may contribute positively to students' holistic development. Keywords: Academic Performance, Education, God, Relationship, Spirituality. 1. INTRODUCTION "In the pursuit of knowledge and understanding, ancient wisdom suggests that spirituality plays a vital role (Proverbs 2:6). This research delves into the intricate relationship between spirituality and academic performance, exploring whether a connection exists between these two facets of a student's life. The notion that spirituality is intertwined with academic achievements is supported by the belief that our God, the Almighty, is at the core of spirituality (Morgan & Peterson, 2020; Williams & Drexler-Dreis, 2019), while academic performance is associated with wisdom, knowledge, and understanding (Zimmer & Haumann, 2013). If the Lord, symbolizing spirituality, is indeed the source of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, representing academic performance, there may be a meaningful interplay between the two. In the realm of spirituality, adherents of God-believing religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam assert that God is the ultimate source and creator of all things (Landau, 2015; Rahim Acar et al., 2012; Valkenberg, 2006), including wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. The scriptures further enumerate these as part of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, as recorded in Isaiah 11:2-3 (Long, 2013; Meinert, 2017). These tenets suggest that a belief in God could complement the pursuit and development of knowledge. Robert Barron, a Catholic bishop, expounds on the compatibility of God and knowledge, proposing that if God is Truth, then all truths are inherently linked to God (R. Barron, 2014, 2018). According to Barron, belief in God is not only harmonious with knowledge but also a fundamental condition for the possibility of knowledge. The sciences themselves emerged within a framework that presupposed an intelligent designer —God—as the creator of the universe. The discernible patterns and intelligibility found in the universe align with inquiring intelligence, a core assumption that underpins the development of sciences. Consequently, the intelligible universe becomes a corollary of the theological doctrine of creation, wherein God is recognized as the intelligent designer (Barron, 2000, 2003, 2007a, 2007b, 2009, 2014, 2018, 2020).