Surviving Parish Ministry: A Rural Vicar’s Reflections on Creative Ways to Cope with the Pressure of the Role
This article describes how somewhat unusual extra-parochial activities – running a therapeutic programme for survivors of child abuse and performing stand-up comedy – have enhanced the ministry and wellness of a rural priest. Two factors are suggested: these provide an outlet for stress, and they sh...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Electronic Article |
| Language: | English |
| Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
| Interlibrary Loan: | Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany) |
| Published: |
2024
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| In: |
Rural theology
Year: 2024, Volume: 22, Issue: 2, Pages: 136-143 |
| Further subjects: | B
Therapy
B Burnout B Television comedies B Trauma B Stress B survivor |
| Online Access: |
Volltext (lizenzpflichtig) |
| Summary: | This article describes how somewhat unusual extra-parochial activities – running a therapeutic programme for survivors of child abuse and performing stand-up comedy – have enhanced the ministry and wellness of a rural priest. Two factors are suggested: these provide an outlet for stress, and they sharpen some key skills and qualities essential to parish ministry. The author focusses on two research themes – marginality and persona – and explores how they play out in his therapeutic work and the comedy world. The life-changing results that occur through the therapeutic programme mitigate ministry marginality, as does meaningful engagement through stand-up comedy with people who would never come to church. Further, he contends that his life-long involvement with therapeutic practice means that there is less distance between his public persona and his true personality and thus less existential tension, a factor that can significantly contribute to break-down. |
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| ISSN: | 2042-1273 |
| Contains: | Enthalten in: Rural theology
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/14704994.2024.2421036 |
