Objectives: The purpose of this study is to see if the social life in religious institutions is associated with practical wisdom and if practical wisdom is, in turn, associated with better health. Method: Interviews were conducted with a nationwide sample of people aged 50 and older (N = 1,154). A new measure of practical wisdom was developed. Results: Support is found for the following relationships: (1) people who go to church more often will receive more spiritual support from fellow church members, (2) individuals who get more spiritual support at church will have greater wisdom, (3) greater wisdom is associated with a stronger sense of hope, and (4) hopeful people have better self-rated health. Discussion: The findings suggest that practical wisdom may have social roots and practical wisdom may be associated with self-rated health in middle and late-life.