Role-Related Stress and Adversity Impacting Christian Clergy Resilience: A Pan-Canadian Study.

Christian clergy are at risk of experiencing the negative impacts of role-related stress and adversity, especially burnout. The findings reported in this article were derived from a Canadian mix-methods study that collected data through an online survey with 519 clerics, 13 one-on-one interviews, and interpretation panels. Adversity themes identified related to workload, expectations, isolation, and personal challenges with various subthemes for each. These findings are relevant to those providing care to clergy by providing insights into the challenges they face.

Clergy Resilience: Accessing Supportive Resources to Balance the Impact of Role-Related Stress and Adversity.

Resilience is a helpful construct when considering how to support clergy well-being. The purpose of this study was to gain knowledge about clergy resilience, specifically those resources that clergy perceived had supported their professional resilience. The study gave attention to aspects of preservice training and professional development that helped to foster clergy resilience and initiatives that clergy desired to further support their resilience. Clergy reported multiple resources that supported their resilience including supports for spiritual life, relational supports, personal aspects, and organizational practices. Spiritual dimensions of support for resilience were prominent for clergy, especially the centrality of calling to ministry, theological meaning-making, and relationship with God. Participants also revealed helpful aspects of preservice training and professional development. Aspects of preservice training included rigorous discernment and screening of their callings and the inclusion of required practices, such as spiritual direction or mentorship. Aspects of professional development included a variety of skill development opportunities, lifelong learning, conferences, and networking with peers. Participants reported their desire for initiatives that included more wellness opportunities and an increased organizational prioritization of clergy wellness.