Our MHFA courses are based on the international consensus of carers, clinicians, researchers, and consumers about what to do when someone is developing a mental health problem and when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis.
As such, the underpinning research has the strongest standards possible. Panels were asked to arrive at a consensus regarding what to do and how to help. ALL possibilities, including spiritual/faith based ones, were included. The panels did not arrive at an 80% consensus that these spiritual/faith based actions and information should be included.
Positive psychology and resilience research suggests that people enjoy better emotional and psychological health when they have a sense of meaning, place, purpose and belonging. Some people will get that through having faith, belonging to a faith community (Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, Jewish, etc) - not all people will. There are other avenues where people get these instead.
Your participants who wanted the spiritual underpinnings of mental illness and mental wellness addressed in the course are not going to find gold standard research anywhere in the world to say anything other than people do better with their emotional and psychological health when they have a sense of meaning, place, purpose and belonging.