which way to clergy health? November 23, 2006
Posted by covenantspe in Health, Interesting Articles, Rest & Rejuvenation.add a comment
Pastors need to be healthy – in every way. Not perfect. Not saintly. Not complete. But, yet, committed to experience holistic health which includes ‘physical’ or ‘medical health.’ This article from the Pulpit & Pew (Research on Pastoral Leadereship) speaks to the issue of importance of health in pastoral ministry:
Although data is limited, research indicates that some of the most critical issues facing clergy appear to be in the areas of weight, mental health, heart disease and stress:
A national survey of more than 2,500 religious leaders conducted last year by Pulpit and Pew, a research project on pastoral leadership based at Duke Divinity School, found that 76 per cent of clergy were either overweight or obese, compared to 61 per cent of the general population.
The same study also found that 10 percent of those surveyed reported being depressed – about the same as the general population – while 40 percent said they were depressed at times, or worn out “some or most of the time.”
A survey of Lutheran ministers found that 68 percent were overweight or obese, while 16 percent of male pastors and 24 percent of female pastors complained of problems with depression.
To access the entire article, click here.
