Symon, G. and Whiting, Rebecca and Taylor, R. (2025) Beyond calling? Addressing the demands of modern ministry. Project Report. UNSPECIFIED.
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Report from Beyond Calling Workshop Oxford Oct 2024.pdf - Published Version of Record Download (1MB) | Preview |
Abstract
Beyond Calling? Addressing the Demands of Ministry workshop took place on 24th October 2024 in St Barnabas Church, Oxford, bringing together social science researchers and clergy to discuss relevant research and experiences around the demands of ministry. The event was organised and reported by Prof Gillian Symon (Royal Holloway University of London), Dr Rebecca Whiting (Birkbeck University of London) and Dr Rebecca Taylor (University of Southampton) and sponsored by the ESRC Festival of Social Science. The morning session focused on experienced demands. Talks from Dr Liz Graveling (Living Ministry Project) and Prof Gillian Symon (Pandemic Ministry Project) introduced various challenges and tensions experienced by clergy as they pursue their vocation, including the demands of formal and felt accountability (Graveling) and emphasising the importance of achieving a meaningful yet sustainable pattern of ministry (Symon). The afternoon session focused on support strategies. Gill Lovell (CMDA, Oxford Diocese) outlined the intentional conversations that enable a ‘thinking space’ for clergy and the Oxford Diocese system of ministry accompaniers. Prof Neil Conway (Royal Holloway University of London) summarised research that has quantified the amount of time clergy spend on administration and led to the introduction of admin assistants to help manage this commitment. Looking across the concerns expressed, ideas for future actions are summarised in five areas: Training; Everyday Ministry Practice; Supporting Clergy with Overwhelming Demands; Bottom-Up Group Level Interventions; and Changes at National Church Level. These ideas are necessarily broad at this stage and need further discussion and detail. Participants were very positive about the event and as a consequence intended to take a variety of actions, including engaging with some of the suggested interventions and contacting local clergy to offer support. The organisers have provided a template for this workshop intervention for use elsewhere and this is outlined in the Appendix.
Metadata
| Item Type: | Monograph (Project Report) |
|---|---|
| Keyword(s) / Subject(s): | clergy; ministry; calling; invisible work; work demands |
| School: | Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Business School |
| Depositing User: | Rebecca Whiting |
| Date Deposited: | 14 Feb 2025 16:15 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Mar 2025 18:38 |
| URI: | https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/54893 |
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