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clergy struggle to cope with change, a new report on their well-being has said.
published today, the report, negotiating wellbeing: experiences of ordinands and clergy in the church of england, says that periods of transition, for example coming to the end of a curacy, can cause physical and mental stress, and prompt clergy to question their vocation.
the report is the second to come out of the long-term living ministry study, which is following four cohorts over a decade: people ordained deacon in 2006, 2011, or 2015, and those who started training in 2016. the first report, published last year, suggested that most priests report high levels of well-being, including living in financial comfort and enjoying good health (news, 14 september 2017).
this week’s report represents the first part of qualitative research, and comes out of interviews with 85 ordinands and clergy.
this comes at the end of initial ministerial education (ordination training), at the beginning and the end of a curacy, and on moving into an incumbency.
one interviewee described the time when her curacy ended and she was looking for another post as like “looking over a cliff”.
several of the interviewees described a high level of support from the diocese, while others reported a “listening ear” but not much action to help with well-being.
another conclusion drawn in the report is that clergy, particularly those with parochial or incumbent positions, “may struggle to establish boundaries around their work in terms of time, space, thought, activity, relationships and finances”.
it concludes: “one of the commonest themes in the narratives of participants in this study is the need to be recognised and valued at a human level as well as by god. in the context of a declining church, and pressure to increase attendance and ensure financial viability, alongside awareness of huge financial investment in specific initiatives, clergy can feel unappreciated, devalued, and demoralised.
dr liz graveling, who is overseeing the research programme in the ministry division, said on tuesday: “we are trying to listen to people and really understand what the experiences are of ministry life. we haven’t taken anything out; we are trying to represent people’s voices and we want to help clergy to flourish.
the report also says that it is important to view clergy lives holistically. this means “understanding that changes in one area may have effects elsewhere, and that wellbeing is fluid and contextual”.
in the foreword, the bishop of st edmundsbury & ipswich, the rt revd martin seeley, who chairs the c of e ministry council, writes: “rather than attempting sweeping recommendations, it [the report] paints a picture of wellbeing that is negotiated, fluid and contextual. transition points, especially into and out of curacy, emerge as particular moments of vulnerability.
the report follows a paper on clergy well-being published earlier this month. it said: “inadequate social care, poor provision of mental-health services, and social and emotional deprivation are constantly encountered by clergy during the course of their ministry” (news, 5 october).

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