The Art of belonging: clergy formation & wellness
LE3 .A278 2016
2016
Berry, Glen
Acadia University
Doctor of Ministry
D.Min.
Ministry
Acadia Divinity College
There is a health and wellness crisis among clergy. The major symptoms include burnout, stress related illness, pastoral misconduct, poor health and a lack of wellbeing. Research studies on burnout and spirituality have found that relationship with God is a crucial factor in their health and wellbeing. Soul neglect, the inattention to relationship with God and relationship with self, is explored as a major factor in clergy distress. This thesis briefly explores the theology, anthropology and Christology of belonging. God is relational and exists in a Trinitarian community of three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Humanitybears God’s relational image with the ability to relate to God, self, others and creation. Sin is the estroyer of relationship, particularly between God and his creation. As recorded in John 13-16, Jesus intentionally led his disciples through a time of formation and preparation as a precaution against stumbling. Jesus challenged the disciples to choose between belonging to the world and belonging to him. The flow of divine resources is from God to Jesus through Holy Spirit to the disciples’ souls and through the disciples to the world. This is the flow of belonging. In addition to the above discussion, this study measured the current health status of one hundred-fifty-six leaders from the Convention of Atlantic Baptist Churches (CABC). The study found that relationship with self and relationship with God are key factors in pastors’ health outcomes. The analysis of variance found that younger clergy had the lowest health outcomes in some areas. Those who left pastorates because of difficult circumstances had lower health outcomes than those who had not left a pastorate because of difficulty. Those who felt seminary did not prepare them for the stressors of ministry had lower health outcomes than those who felt they were prepared by seminary. Using multiple regression, relationship with self was found to be the most robust predictor of health outcomes. Overall results suggest that health outcomes for clergy are affected by their relationships to God, self and others. This study examines the clergy’s need for a spiritual theology and concludes with a proposal for a process of soul formation
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:1508