Psychological Type Profile of Clergywomen and Clergymen Serving in the Presbyterian Church (Usa): Implications for Strengths and Weaknesses in Ministry

Home , Clergy

PSYCHOLOGICAL TYPE PROFILE OF CLERGYWOMEN AND CLERGYMEN SERVING IN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA): IMPLICATIONS FOR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES IN MINISTRY

Leslie J. Francis, Mandy Robbins, and Keith Wulff *

Abstract

This study draws on two theoretical frameworks provided by the theology of indi- vidual differences and by the Jungian notion of psychological type. Renewed interest in the application of psychological type theory and empirical research among church leaders and clergy in the UK from across diverse traditions has drawn attention to three main findings: the distinctive psychological type profile of clergy compared with the general population norms; the differences in psychological type profile between clergymen and clergywomen; and the differences in psychological type profile between Christian denominations. Building on this tradition, the present study discusses the psychological type profiles of 561 clergy serving in The Presbyterian Church (USA) who completed the Francis Psychological Type Scales (FPTS). The data confirmed significant difference between male and female clergy, demonstrated significant difference between clergy profiles and the population norms for men and women in the USA, and aligned the profile of clergy serving in The Presbyterian Church (USA) with the profile of clergy serving in the Anglican Church in England (as relatively liberal denominations). Among both clergymen and clergywomen in this sample, preferences were recorded for introversion (I), intuition (N), feeling (F), and judging (J). Atten- tion is given to those areas of ministry which may prove to be particularly difficult or draining for clergy who display these psychological preferences.

Keywords: clergy, personality, population norms, Presbyterian, psychological type

During the latter part of the 20th century, a small number of studies, conducted mainly within the USA, began to explore the application of Jungian psychological type theory for illuminating the personality profile of religious professionals. For example, Greenfield (1969) reported on a sample of 319 Jewish rabbis, Cabral (1984) reported on a sample

* Author Note: Leslie J. Francis, Institute of Education, University of Warwick; Mandy Robbins, Institute of Education, University of Warwick; Keith Wulff, Presby- terian Research Services. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Leslie J. Francis, Warwick Religions & Education Research Unit, Institute of Education, The University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL United Kingdom. Tel: +44 (0)24 7652 2539, Fax: +44 (0)24 7657 2638. Email: [email protected]

Research in the Social Scientific Study of Religion, Volume 22 © Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2011 clergy in the presbyterian church (usa) 193 of 150 professed Roman Catholic sisters, Harbaugh (1984) reported on a sample of 60 Lutheran seminarians, Holsworth (1984) reported on a sample of 146 Catholic seminarians, Bigelow, Fitzgerald, Busk, Girault, and Avis (1988) reported separately on two samples of 47 and 641 Roman Catholic sisters, Nauss (1989) studied 310 Lutheran par- ish pastors, and Irvine (1989) studied 147 Presbyterian ministers from Scotland. Renewed interest in this field of research emerged in the twenty-first century with a cluster of studies, conducted mainly in the UK. These studies included data provided by samples of 427 Church in Wales clergymen (Francis, Payne, & Jones, 2001), 278 male and 213 female Bible College students (Francis, Penson, & Jones, 2001), 57 evangelical church leaders (Francis & Robbins, 2002), 164 male and 135 female evangelical church leaders (Craig, Francis, & Robbins, 2004), 92 male missionary personal (Craig, Horsfall, & Francis, 2005), 130 male and 192 female evangelical lay church leaders (Francis, Craig, Horsfall, & Ross, 2005), 79 Roman Catholic priests (Craig, Duncan, & Francis, 2006), 155 male and 134 female Christian youth workers (Francis, Nash, Nash, & Craig, 2007), 626 clergymen and 237 clergywomen serving within the Church of England (Francis, Craig, Whinney, Tilley, & Slater, 2007), 81 evangelical Anglican seminarians (Francis, Craig, & Butler, 2007), 190 male Assemblies of God theological college students (Kay, Francis, & Craig, 2008), 122 female Assemblies of God theological college students (Kay & Francis, 2008), 134 lead elders within the Newfrontiers network of churches (Francis, Gubb, & Robbins, 2009), 389 experienced preachers (Francis, Village, & Robbins, 2009), 154 members of the leadership team within the Newfrontiers network of churches (Ryland, Francis, & Robbins, in press), 101 Anglican health- care chaplains (Francis, Hancocks, Swift, & Robbins, 2009), 622 clergymen serving in the Church of England (Francis, Robbins, Duncan, Whinney, & Ross, 2010), 83 clergywomen serving in the Church of England (Francis, Robbins, & Whinney, in press), 148 male and 41 female Free Church ministers in England (Francis, Whinney, Burton, & Robbins, 2011), 693 male and 311 female Methodist circuit ministers in Britain (Burton, Francis, & Robbins, 2010) and 231 clergymen serving in the Church in Wales (Francis, Littler, & Robbins, 2010). Three main empirical findings emerge from this growing family of studies. First, the data draw attention to the distinctive psychological type profile of religious professionals compared with the general population. Second, the data draw attention to significant differences