Isolation and the parish ministry

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the concept of \nisolation as it occurs within the profession of ministry. \nIsolation, for the purpose of this thesis, is defined social-psychologically. \nWithin the field research isolation is \nconsidered as evidenced professionally, socially and spiritually. \nThis study utilized as its sample base 200 hundred Church of \nScotland ministers (15% of total population) which provided 159 \nusable responses to an extensive mail survey. The mail survey \nconsisted of a questionnaire designed and tested to measure \nexperienced isolation; the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, a \npersonality measure; and the Purpose In Life Test, a measure of \nmotivation. A further 15% of the respondents were selected by \nrandom process for direct interviews. \nThe thesis is divided into four primary sections; \npsychological perspective, theological perspective , field \nresearch, summary and conclusions. \nChapter 1 reviews eight psychological perceptions of \nisolation as found in the works of such notables as Freud, Adler, \nFromm, Horney, Laing, Sullivan, and Frankl. From these it was \ndetermined that common to all perspectives of isolation was a \nprimary isolation from the SELF. In chapters 2 and 3a model of \nisolation was developed from the work of C. G. Jung and applied to \nthe profession of ministry. \nChapters 4 to 6 examine the concept of separation from the \nself from a theological perspective as found in the works of P. \nTillich and E. Brunner. Chapter 6 develops a composite view of \nthe self and considers it in light of the redemptive process. \nChapters 7 to 10 review the actual field study conducted by \nthe researcher among the Church of Scotland ministers. \nThis study concludes in Chapter 11 with a summary of the \nfindings and their implications for the ministry of the church. \nThe salient factor evidenced was that isolation is not primarily \nan inter-relational problem, but rather an intrarelational \nphenomenon.

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