Correlates of Lay Perceptions of Clergy Ministry Style
Analysis of survey data from national samples of clergy and their lay members (in the United States) revealed both convergence and divergence in comparisons of how clergy define their ministry style and how their members perceive that style. These patterns involved mostly ministry styles characteriz...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Journals Online & Print: | Drawer...
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| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Published: |
Sage Publications
1997
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| In: |
Review of religious research
Year: 1997, Volume: 38, Issue: 3, Pages: 211-230 |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Parallel Edition: | Non-electronic
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| Summary: | Analysis of survey data from national samples of clergy and their lay members (in the United States) revealed both convergence and divergence in comparisons of how clergy define their ministry style and how their members perceive that style. These patterns involved mostly ministry styles characterized by use of coercive power, rational decision making, ethical legalism, seeking to empower congregations, and involvement in social issues. Multivariate analysis indicated that the most consistent predictors of lay perceptions of clergy ministry style were race/ethnicity, clergy sex, and member sex. When clergy descriptions of ministry style were compared to the perceptions of members of their specific congregation, there was a positive correlation between clergy statements and member perceptions. However, lay members tended to see less interest in their pastor either wanting power over the congregation or seeking to empower the congregation than was claimed by the pastor him/herself. Conversely, lay members tended to see more tendency than their pastor claimed in using rational criteria for decision making or in being legalistic. Finally, especially among whites, lay members describing the pastor's ministry style in terms similar to the descriptions of the pastor him/herself occurred primarily if the pastor was a male. Clergy and lay descriptions tended to diverge more if the pastor was a woman. |
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| ISSN: | 2211-4866 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Review of religious research
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.2307/3512084 |