Denominational Affiliation and Styles of Authority in Pastoral Counseling

Abstract

TIHIS STUDY examines the relation between the styles of authority that ministers assume in their counseling and their denominational affiliation. Previous studies (Miller 1964; Ranck 1965; Stanley 1963; White 1963; Withrow 1960) found conservative denominational affiliation related to authoritarian attitudes on other issues. Of all Protestant ministers in southern Alberta (454), 171 agreed to participate in this research. From these, sample of 66 was randomly drawn, stratified by denomination. One item on the questionnaire asked the subjects to choose among four styles of response in pastoral counseling. These were constructed after Becker's (1964) distinction among four types of parental discipline: Love-permissiveness: a high degree of compassion expressed in an atmosphere of acceptance. Love-restrictiveness: warmth and understanding with restrictions imposed as needed. Hostility-restrictiveness: anger about what has been done wrong with prohibitions to prevent re-occurrence. Hostility-permissiveness: strong disapproval within setting of openness. No respondent chose the hostility alternatives. The following table shows that when denominations are grouped by degree of conservatism, there is significant relation (X2 = 7.73, p <.05) between denomination and self-stated style of authority in counseling.

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