Explore Our Groundbreaking Research
At-a-Glance - Chapter Overviews
Chapter 1: Who Cares for Clergy
Clergy care providers play a critical role in the advancement of the Church. Who are clergy care providers today and what do they do? How are these providers connected to each other?
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After the 2010 Haiti earthquake, a disconnected group of NGOs descended on Haiti to provide support for the crisis at-hand. A lack of shared goals, understanding of root issues had a detrimental impact on recovery efforts. A similar story may be seen in the network of providers who care for clergy.
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How does someone become a clergy care provider? What are the formational experiences? There are many avenues, with previous pastoral experience being the main pathway to caring for clergy. At the same time, however, previous ministry experience can bring wounds and produce what we call a “shadow side.”
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What literature is informing the services clergy care providers offer? Our research reveals a disconnect between the literatures available in academic and practitioner circles and the divergent topics covered in these resources.
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Where do we see significant differences in how clergy care providers understanding clergy well-being and the root causes associated with it? Although many clergy need more support, clergy care providers have disconnected understandings of not only the presenting problem but also the cause. This disconnect leads to lack of coordination, and has a detrimental impact on the care clergy receive.
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Methods of care matter. Clergy care providers approach their programs and services differently. What do providers identify as the key needs of clergy, and how do those needs inform what they provide? In this chapter, we provide specific attention to the care of underserved populations.
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Funding matters in providing effective services and programs for clergy. What is the field providing in terms of financial resources – both for all clergy and for underserved populations?
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There are many roadblocks to caring for clergy. What’s getting in the way? How do both organizational and structural roadblocks inhibit the services provided for clergy? There are a number of strategies to confront these roadblocks, but there is a need for collaboration to further develop strategies to overcome them.
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The care that clergy receive has profound implications for not only for the church but also the world. Our research demonstrates that clergy care providers are disconnected and need to collaborate to better meet the needs of clergy. We invite you to respond with practical next steps.
About the Authors
REV. DR. THAD S. AUSTIN, Ph.D. leads Strategic Initiatives and Congregational Engagement at Ormond Center. A graduate of the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy’s Ph.D. program, Thad is an expert on congregational leadership, faith-based fundraising, and church innovation. An ordained clergyperson, Thad has served parishes in Kentucky and in Tennessee. His last pastoral appointment was as Executive Pastor at First United Methodist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, a 3,200-member congregation.
DR. KATIE COMEAU, Ph.D is a Research Associate at the Ormond Center for Thriving Congregations and Communities. In her role, she applies her expertise as a sociologist to Caring for Clergy and as an ethnographer to illuminate key themes and narratives that shape the field of clergy care. At the Ormond Center, Katie combines her interests in religion and organizations to the work of clergy and the field of providers and organizations that care for them. Before coming to Duke, Katie earned her Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Notre Dame.
