Shaun Joynt

South African Theological Seminary, Practical Theology, Faculty Member

University of Pretoria, Practical Theology, Research Associate (2013-2020)

North-West University, Practical Theology, Postdoctoral Fellow (2017-2019)

University of the Free State, Department of Practical Theology, Research Associate (2018-Present)

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Experience: 1) Pastor (ordained), 18 years in full-time pastoral ministry (1994-1999 & 2006-2017), http://www.hatfield.co.za; 2) Postdoctoral Fellow (North-West University, supervisor: Prof Marius Nel) & Research Associate (University of Pretoria, Prof Yolanda Dreyer; University of the Free State Prof Kobus Schoeman) & Postgraduate Supervisor (SATS), 5 years in academic research (since Mar 2013), specializing in clergy wholeness/wellness, leadership, burnout, calling, etc. Participated in the Africa Forgiveness Project (VCU via UKZN, 2015-2017). Goals: To grow in all aspects (Luke 2:52): spiritual, social, intellectual and good health
Supervisors: Prof. Marius Nel (NWU), Prof. Yolanda Dreyer (UP), and Prof. Kobus Schoeman (UFS)
Phone: +27 83 451 3662
Address: Pretoria, SOUTH AFRICA

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Johannes Zachhuber

University of Oxford

Galen Strawson

The University of Texas at Austin

Beat Signer

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Fernando Zamith

Universidade do Porto

Shaun Gallagher

University of Memphis

Roe Fremstedal

Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Armando Marques-Guedes

UNL - New University of Lisbon

Judy Duchscher

University of Calgary

Francisco Paulo Jamil Marques

The University of Iowa

Johnson Thomaskutty

The United Theological College, Bangalore

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Projects by Shaun Joynt

Building More Forgiving Communities around the Globe through Engagement to Complete Do-It-Yourself REACH Forgiveness Workbooks

TBA, 2019

Goal: The benefits of forgiveness on physical, mental, relational, and spiritual health are well ... more Goal: The benefits of forgiveness on physical, mental, relational, and spiritual health are well established. However, the majority of research on forgiveness interventions have taken place in the United States or other developed country contexts. This project aims to expand the horizons of forgiveness research globally by evaluating the viability of the two-hour REACH Forgiveness workbook at promoting forgiveness, inspiring hope, and reducing depression and anxiety in six diverse cultural and geographic contexts: Colombia, Indonesia, Mainland China, Ghana, South Africa and the Ukraine. The project will also examine the effectiveness of community-based awareness-raising interventions among the student population in Hong Kong, and test different ways of engaging individuals to participate in and complete the forgiveness interventions.

REACH Forgiveness is a widely used forgiveness intervention developed by Everett Worthington (2001). REACH is an acronym that identifies five steps through which victims may progress to achieve forgiveness: (R) Recall the hurt, (E) Empathize with offender, (A) Altruistic gift of forgiveness, (C) Commit, and (H) Hold onto forgiveness. The efficacy of the REACH Forgiveness intervention is empirically supported by over 30 randomized controlled trials (Wade, Hoyt, Kidwell, & Worthington, 2014). Led by Man Yee Ho of City University Hong Kong, this project is a collaboration between Everett Worthington, one of the world’s leading forgiveness researchers, and Tyler Van Der Weele of Harvard University.

Project info website: https://www.templetonworldcharity.org/projects-database/building-more-forgiving-communities-around-globe-through-engagement-complete-do

TWCF Number: 0390

Project Duration: 1 July 2019 - 30 June 2022

Core Funding Area: Character Virtue Development

Initiative: Global Innovations for Character Development

Region: Asia

Amount Awarded: $999,986

Date: 1 July 2019 - 30 June 2022

Self-Forgiveness in Clergy

Currently busy (2017 to present) with a small grant funded research project that considers self-f... more

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Forgiveness Research in Africa Project

I participated in a two-year project (2016-2017), funded by the Templeton World Charities Foundat... more

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Papers by Shaun Joynt

Religious Communities and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Practical Theological Consideration of Place

Religion, spirituality and health: a social scientific approach, Dec 31, 2022

Toward a Global and Multidisciplinary Understanding of Place, Religion/Spirituality, and Well-Being

Place, Spirituality, and Well-Being

Exodus of clergy : a practical theological grounded theory exploration

The Protestant Church in general is experiencing more of a distribution problem than a shortage (... more The Protestant Church in general is experiencing more of a distribution problem than a shortage (cf Chaves 2001:36; see Jud et al 1970:59). The two greatest hindrances to addressing this clergy distribution problem among Protestant churches is a lack of adequate compensation for clergy and the undesirable location, as perceived by clergy, of the church (Chaves 2001:36; see Jud et al 1970:59). Challenges such as secularization, duality of vocation, time management, change in type of ministry, family issues, congregational and denominational conflict, burnout, sexual misconduct, divorce or marital problems, and suicide, affect clergy. Studies on the shortage of clergy have been conducted mostly in the USA and Europe and not in South Africa. This study seeks to address this research gap by means of a practical theological grounded theory exploration of the exodus of clergy. Grounded theory methodology is used to identify the reasons why clergy trained at a Bible College of a Protestant Charismatic mega church leave full-time pastoral ministry. Findings correspond to previous studies with two reasons appearing more frequently than others: responding to a call and leadership related issues. Firstly, respondents differed in their replies with respect to reconciling their leaving full-time pastoral ministry to their call with responses of: not being called, a dual call, or called but left anyway. Secondly, respondents indicated that leadership influence was mostly negative with regard to affirming their call. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS  God-for my life, for instilling in me a thirst for knowledge and truth, and for helping me persevere in completing this thesis.  Trudi Joynt-for supporting me in my studies (through constant prayer and encouragement) and for handling most of our congregational and shepherding tasks.  Bradley & Genevieve Joynt-for sacrificing family time with their dad.  Charles & Patricia Stewart-for the wonderful gift of Trudi.  Ray & Ria Joynt-for the opportunity of life and the foundations of my future.  Hatfield Christian Church-for financial and emotional support as well as allowing me to make use of the Hatfield Training Centre (HTC) as my study focus.  Ps. Jack Ferreira-for his support as the head of HCC's pastoral department.  Ps. Pam Ferreira-for her support as the head of HTC/Equipping@hatfield.  Ps. Christo Kotze-for standing in for my counseling duties in 2010 and 2011 so I could gain some extra time to conduct my research.  Hayden Hall-for his continuous encouragement and advice to "eat the elephant one bite at a time."  Ps. Robert Botha-for his prayers and continuous encouragement.  The Gilgal congregation leadership (shepherds and life group leaders)-for their sacrifice of time and picking up the slack when and where necessary.  The South East District-for their prayers and support.  Dr. Catto-for inspiring me and being instrumental in the development of a Biblical world view in my life.  Ps. Chris Cronje-for inspiring me and instilling in me a love for Greek.  Ps. Jan and Sheena Smith-for being selfless leaders who allowed me to grow as a youth pastor in my first appointment in ministry (for this I am truly and deeply grateful).  Prof. Yolanda Dreyer (UP)-for being my supervisor and guide along this research journey as well as introducing me to grounded theory. Thank you!  Heila Mare-for handling all my specialist research requests and often walking the 2 nd mile.  Josephine-for assistance with all the inter-lending requests (and there were many!)  Professor Pieterse (UP)-for insight on grounded theory.  Research Professor Eleanor Lemmer (UNISA)-for being a critical reader and encourager.  Trudi, Patricia, Ria, and Vicky-for transcribing all the interviews.

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How do mentally tough athletes overcome self-directed anger, shame, and criticism? A self-forgiveness mediation analysis

We examined associations between mental toughness, self-directed, negatively toned emotions and c... more We examined associations between mental toughness, self-directed, negatively toned emotions and cognitions, and self-forgiveness. With reference to their participation in competitive tennis, a sample of 343 competitive tennis players (Mage = 17.56, SD = 2.37) completed questionnaires measuring their mental toughness, self-forgiveness, and tendency to experience shame, anger, and criticism towards themselves. Mental toughness associated negatively with self-oriented shame, anger, and criticism, and positively with self-forgiveness. The effect of mental toughness on both shame and anger towards the self was fully mediated by self-forgiveness, whereas self-forgiveness partially mediated the effect for self-criticism. The findings support the role of self-forgiveness, over mental toughness, in reducing or eliminating self-condemning, resentful, and devaluing responses that athletes direct towards themselves.

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Trait Forgiveness and Dyadic Adjustment Predict Postnatal Depression

Journal of Child and Family Studies, Mar 22, 2018

The birth of a first child can be stressful on intimate partner relationships and the women havin... more The birth of a first child can be stressful on intimate partner relationships and the women having their first child. Conflict can occur, and hurts might be experienced, which could lead to post-partum depression. Thus, capacity for forgiveness with specific hurts might affect post-partum depression. We investigated women having their first child (N = 52), and examined whether dyadic adjustment, trait forgiveness, and situational forgiving during pregnancy predicted postpartum depression. This study found that marital forgiveness predicted lower levels of depression above and beyond the effects of general dyadic adjustment. Dyadic adjustment and trait forgiveness predicted postpartum depression while situational forgiving was mixed. Postpartum depression researchers are encouraged to consider the inclusion of positive psychology variables, such as forgiveness, in future research studies.

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A sixfold biblical approach to social transformation in the local community in terms of the ELIJAH model: A challenge for today’s church

Verbum Et Ecclesia, Oct 24, 2019

Today, more than ever, given the increasing poverty, violence and injustices in the world, the Ch... more Today, more than ever, given the increasing poverty, violence and injustices in the world, the Christian church is called upon to embrace, engage and continue with its task of being an agent for transformation and change. It needs to fulfil the gospel imperative of making the world a better place for all to live with justice, peace and harmony.

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The pain and gain of religious/spiritual struggles: a longitudinal study of South African adults

Mental Health, Religion & Culture, Dec 6, 2021

A systems perspective on human flourishing: Exploring cross-country similarities and differences of a multisystemic flourishing network

The Journal of Positive Psychology, Jul 7, 2022

Redemption in the South African West: Violence, Colonialism and Oppression in Five Fingers for Marseilles (2018)

Critical Arts, Oct 28, 2021

Screening the church: A study of clergy representation in contemporary Afrikaans cinema

Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies, Jul 18, 2018

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Exodus of clergy: Responding to, reinterpreting or relinquishing the call

Verbum Et Ecclesia, Jan 31, 2017

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research calls for an ongoing dialog... more

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Religious coping with interpersonal hurts: Psychosocial correlates of the brief RCOPE in four non-Western countries

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, Aug 26, 2021

Religious coping has emerged as a guiding paradigm for understanding ways in which religion shape... more Religious coping has emerged as a guiding paradigm for understanding ways in which religion shapes how people adapt to life’s most difficult experiences. Although research on religious coping has advanced substantially over the last two decades, there has been a disproportionate focus on noninterpersonal stressors with samples from predominantly Western societies. In this study, we draw on a relational spirituality perspective to examine religious coping in the aftermath of interpersonal hurts among participants from four non-Western countries. With samples from Colombia, Indonesia, South Africa, and Ukraine (N = 3,244), we examined associations of religious coping (as measured by the Brief RCOPE) with anxiety, depression, perceived posttraumatic growth, and well-being. The general patterns that emerged from the country-specific analyses of psychosocial correlates indicated that positive religious coping evidenced its strongest associations with indices of positive functioning (i.e., perceived posttraumatic growth and well-being), whereas negative religious coping yielded its strongest associations with indices of psychological distress (i.e., anxiety and depression). Hierarchical regressions for each country indicated that the dimensions of religious coping were incrementally associated with all indices of functioning, over and above variance explained by state forgiveness. Overall, the findings were largely comparable to those of prior research with samples from Western societies. Further cross-cultural research is needed to extend our understanding of the role of religious/spiritual coping in dealing with negative life events, particularly in non-Western cultures.

Flourishing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study in South Africa

Psychological Reports, Mar 24, 2023

In this longitudinal study, we examine changes in psychological distress and multidimensional wel... more In this longitudinal study, we examine changes in psychological distress and multidimensional well-being from before to during the COVID-19 pandemic among South African adults. As a secondary purpose, we explore whether pre-pandemic flourishing is protective against subsequent psychological distress during the public health crisis. The analytic sample (n = 293; Mage = 44.27, SD = 14.28; female = 65.19%) completed measures of anxiety symptoms, depression symptoms, and well-being shortly before the stringent nationwide lockdown started in South Africa (T1). A follow-up assessment was completed approximately 6 months later (T2). Paired samples t-tests supported very small improvements in anxiety (d = −0.09) and depression symptoms (d = −0.13). For domains of well-being, small increases were found in close social relationships (d = 0.25) and financial and material stability (d = 0.19). Positive changes in the domains of character and virtue (d = 0.10) and meaning and purpose (d = 0.07) were very small. Changes in physical and mental health (d = −0.03) and life satisfaction and happiness (d = 0.02) were more negligible. Results from the generalized linear models indicated that continuous scores of secure flourishing assessed before the COVID-19 pandemic were associated with lower subsequent psychological distress (particularly depression symptoms) during the public health crisis. We discuss the implications of the findings for the development and delivery of interventions to promote and sustain human flourishing during public health crises, especially in contexts of social-structural vulnerability.

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The cost of ‘not being heard’ and clergy retention

Acta Theologica, Jun 24, 2019

Poor workplace or employee engagement results in decreased productivity and creativity as well as... more Poor workplace or employee engagement results in decreased productivity and creativity as well as increased absenteeism and turnover. Being heard is a positive contributor to workplace or employee engagement and in establishing a healthy relational ecology. Conversely, not being heard adversely influences clergy's decision to remain in full-time pastoral ministry. A shortage of clergy poses a risk to the continued existence of the church as an organisation. The aim of this study was to ascertain which factors played a role in responding to the call to full-time pastoral ministry. The dichotomous category being heard/not being heard was identified as contributing to the basic social psychological process of responding to the call. Osmer's four tasks were used to view the category not being heard from a practical theological perspective. The results of the study indicate that not being heard contributes to clergy leaving full-time pastoral ministry. 1 This article was presented in draft form as a conference paper at the annual meeting of the Society for Practical Theology in South Africa held from 17-19 January 2018 in Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa. Both the conference paper and subsequent article focus on one of the core categories of the author's PhD dissertation, namely (not) being heard.

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Exodus of clergy: ‘When the fight is just not worth it anymore’ – The role of conflict in responding to the call

In die skriflig, Jul 23, 2018

A clergy shortage Clergy fulfil particular responsibilities within the church as an organisation ... more A clergy shortage Clergy fulfil particular responsibilities within the church as an organisation (Heitink 2007:19). They foster its spiritual and numerical growth by equipping members in their relation to God, to one another and to those around them. A shortage of clergy will affect these outcomes unfavourably. At present, there is a growing shortage of clergy in both the Roman Catholic and the Protestant church (Carroll 2006:14). Various factors contribute to this decline, namely a change in vocation, forced terminations and sexual misconduct (Cousins 2010:53-54), marital and family challenges, conflict (personal, congregational and denominational), financial issues, and feelings of burnout and frustration (Carroll 2006:167-169; Hoge & Wenger 2005:49; see Percy 2006:26-29). In addition to these, changes in the roles and responsibilities of clergy also contribute to clergy role confusion (Cahall 2012:92-115) that creates uncertainty in not only what to do, but whom to serve, namely God, the congregation, or individuals (Trull & Carter 2004:22). Clergy shortage in the Roman Catholic Church The Roman Catholic Church has been experiencing a shortage of priests, both diocesan and religious, since the 1970s, in comparison to the Roman Catholic population that has doubled during the same time (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate 2015; cf. Mohler 2016). This shortage has been partially mitigated by both an increase in permanent deacons (Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate 2015) and the training of parishioners for lay ministry (The Scotsman 2016). The priest shortage extends to Ireland (The Irish Times 2014), Germany (Salden Conflict affects clergy's response to the call. Unresolved conflict negatively influences their decision to remain in full-time pastoral ministry. This contributes to a shortage of clergy in the Roman Catholic Church, but to a lesser extent, the Protestant church, as it faces a distribution or displacement challenge. The shortage negatively affects the church, as clergy equip congregants to live the faith and transmit it to the next generation. The purpose of this study is to discover what factors are involved in responding to the call to full-time pastoral ministry. A practical theological grounded theory approach is used to discover the properties of the basic social process responding to the call and more specifically one of its categories, namely conflict. Semi-structured interviews are conducted and data coded, using Glaser and Strauss' grounded theory methodology in order to determine a basic social process, namely responding to the call. The category of 'conflict' includes properties such as conflict due to lack of communication, dealing with favouritism, conflict with leadership and managing conflict or leaving due to conflict. Osmer's descriptive-empirical task is used to view the category conflict from a practical theological perspective. The results of this study indicate three responses to the call by clergy who left full-time pastoral ministry: not called in the first place, a dual call (being bi-vocational or seasonal), and being called, but leaving anyway due to, among other factors, conflict.

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Do congruent apologies facilitate forgiveness?

South African Journal of Psychology, Nov 1, 2018

Research largely supports the apology-forgiveness cycle, a process in which perpetrators' posttra... more Research largely supports the apology-forgiveness cycle, a process in which perpetrators' posttransgression apologies are reciprocated with victims' forgiveness. This cycle is often facilitated by the mere provision of an apology. Yet, there are times in which apologies may be rejected. We hypothesised that when apologies matched victims' apology preferences (i.e., congruent apologies), victims would be more likely to accept them and self-report higher levels of forgiveness. Using an autobiographical transgression-recall approach, participants (n = 102) provided self-report ratings on the apology they preferred receiving, the severity of the transgression, the type of apology they actually received from perpetrators, whether or not they accepted the apology offered to them, and forgiveness. Victims were more likely to accept apologies and report higher levels of forgiveness when perpetrators offered apologies that were congruent with victims' preferred apologies, particularly apologies that met victims' needs for empathy. The findings not only provide support for the apology-forgiveness cycle but also signify the importance of delivering apologies that meet the psychological needs of victims.

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Exodus of clergy: A practical theological grounded theory exploration of Hatfield Training Centre trained pastors

Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies, Jan 14, 2013

There is a shortage of clergy, at least in the Roman Catholic Church. Protestant churches in gene... more There is a shortage of clergy, at least in the Roman Catholic Church. Protestant churches in general are experiencing more of a distribution or placement challenge than a shortage. The two greatest hindrances to addressing the Protestant clergy distribution challenge are a lack of adequate compensation for clergy and the undesirable geographical location of a number of churches, as perceived by clergy. Influences such as secularisation, duality of vocation, time management, change in type of ministry, family issues, congregational and denominational conflict, burnout, sexual misconduct, divorce or marital problems, and suicide, affect clergy. Studies on the shortage of clergy have been conducted mostly in the USA and Europe and not in South Africa. This article focuses on the research gap by means of a practical theological grounded theory exploration of the exodus of clergy. Grounded theory methodology is used to identify the reasons why clergy trained at a Bible college of a Protestant charismatic mega church leave full-time pastoral ministry. Findings correspond to previous studies with two reasons appearing more frequently than others: responding to a call and leadership related issues. Firstly, respondents differed in their replies with respect to reconciling their exit from full-time pastoral ministry with their call. The replies included not being called, a dual call, or called but left anyway. Secondly, respondents indicated that leadership influence was mostly negative with regard to affirming their call. Research gap and interest The journey of enquiring if there is a shortage of clergy started with my personal experience of pastoral ministry in a small town which led to close friendships with fellow clergy of other denominations, namely Methodist and Anglican clergy. Various challenges were communicated to one another, including 'struggles' experienced with the senior leadership of the respective congregations. My peers felt as if they were not being understood or 'heard'. This continued for some time and, subsequent to our departure from that town, I learnt that the Methodist youth minister had left and the Anglican youth minister was still struggling with what may be termed 'leadership style conflict' (cf. Fernandez 2001:x, 1). During the years that have transpired since leaving the ministry in that small town, I have continually asked the question, 'why were so many of my contemporaries discontent in ministry?' And, 'why have a number of them left their congregations, and the church for that matter?' What are the reasons for this supposed 'exodus of clergy' and are there intervention methods that could be developed to stem unnecessary departures? A huge 'investment' is made in training clergy in terms of determining their call, theological education, and apprenticeship. So, what are the factors that contribute to that decision to leave full-time or salaried ministry? The church as an organisation requires clergy who are trained to serve its mission. When a shortage of clergy occurs, the mission is compromised. So, identifying factors that contribute to a clergy shortage would serve both the church as an organisation and her members well. An extensive search of leading electronic journal databases, including Cambridge, EBSCoHost, Emerald, Google Scholar, Ingenta Connect, JSTOR, Proquest, SA ePublications, Sage, and SpringerLink, suggests no academic research has been conducted regarding a shortage of clergy within South Africa. European and USA studies regarding a shortage of clergy indicate a shortage in the Roman Catholic Church (cf. Tentler 1998:348; Carroll 2001:1; Fernandez 2001:ix-x) whilst Protestant churches in general are experiencing more of a distribution or placement challenge than a shortage (cf. Chaves 2001:36; Jud, Mills & Burch 1970:59). The two greatest hindrances to addressing this clergy distribution or placement challenge amongst Protestant churches are a lack of adequate compensation for clergy and the undesirable location (geographical), as perceived by clergy, of the church (Chaves 2001:36; Jud et al. 1970:59). This study seeks to address the research gap within the South African context by means of a practical theological grounded theory exploration of the exodus of clergy.

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Building More Forgiving Communities around the Globe through Engagement to Complete Do-It-Yourself REACH Forgiveness Workbooks

TBA, 2019

Self-Forgiveness in Clergy

Currently busy (2017 to present) with a small grant funded research project that considers self-f... more

Download

Forgiveness Research in Africa Project

I participated in a two-year project (2016-2017), funded by the Templeton World Charities Foundat... more

Download

Religious Communities and Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Practical Theological Consideration of Place

Religion, spirituality and health: a social scientific approach, Dec 31, 2022

Toward a Global and Multidisciplinary Understanding of Place, Religion/Spirituality, and Well-Being

Place, Spirituality, and Well-Being

Exodus of clergy : a practical theological grounded theory exploration

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How do mentally tough athletes overcome self-directed anger, shame, and criticism? A self-forgiveness mediation analysis

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Trait Forgiveness and Dyadic Adjustment Predict Postnatal Depression

Journal of Child and Family Studies, Mar 22, 2018

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A sixfold biblical approach to social transformation in the local community in terms of the ELIJAH model: A challenge for today’s church

Verbum Et Ecclesia, Oct 24, 2019

Download

The pain and gain of religious/spiritual struggles: a longitudinal study of South African adults

Mental Health, Religion & Culture, Dec 6, 2021

A systems perspective on human flourishing: Exploring cross-country similarities and differences of a multisystemic flourishing network

The Journal of Positive Psychology, Jul 7, 2022

Redemption in the South African West: Violence, Colonialism and Oppression in Five Fingers for Marseilles (2018)

Critical Arts, Oct 28, 2021

Screening the church: A study of clergy representation in contemporary Afrikaans cinema

Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies, Jul 18, 2018

Download

Exodus of clergy: Responding to, reinterpreting or relinquishing the call

Verbum Et Ecclesia, Jan 31, 2017

Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The research calls for an ongoing dialog... more

Download

Religious coping with interpersonal hurts: Psychosocial correlates of the brief RCOPE in four non-Western countries

Psychology of Religion and Spirituality, Aug 26, 2021

Flourishing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study in South Africa

Psychological Reports, Mar 24, 2023

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The cost of ‘not being heard’ and clergy retention

Acta Theologica, Jun 24, 2019

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Exodus of clergy: ‘When the fight is just not worth it anymore’ – The role of conflict in responding to the call

In die skriflig, Jul 23, 2018

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Do congruent apologies facilitate forgiveness?

South African Journal of Psychology, Nov 1, 2018

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Exodus of clergy: A practical theological grounded theory exploration of Hatfield Training Centre trained pastors

Theological Studies/Teologiese Studies, Jan 14, 2013

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Flourishing During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Longitudinal Study in South Africa

Psychological Reports

Covid-19 in Congregations and Communities

Stellenbosch Theological Journal

Covid-19 in Congregations and Communities explores the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on c... more Covid-19 in Congregations and Communities explores the influence of the coronavirus pandemic on congregational and community life from a predominantly South African perspective, with the inclusion of one chapter on Covid-19â€™s influence in Ghana. The chapter authors hail from the Department of Practical Theology and Missiology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa, and offer â€œa theological response to the collective trauma we experienced as a result of the pandemicâ€ (p. 1). Chapters include a variety of topics, namely, â€œspirituality, liturgy, homiletics, pastoral care, community development, ecclesiology, child ministry, interreligious dialogue, ritual studies, and missional theologyâ€ (p. 1). Methodologies include literature engagement, participant observation, interviews, Grounded Theory, and more. Each author offers original research focusing on the first lockdown in South Africa.

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International REACH Forgiveness Intervention: A Multi-Site Randomized Controlled Trial

Can a brief self-guided forgiveness workbook intervention alter forgiveness and depression and an... more Can a brief self-guided forgiveness workbook intervention alter forgiveness and depression and anxiety symptoms? Findings: In this multi-site randomized waitlist-controlled trial among 4,598 participants in Colombia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, South Africa, and Ukraine, randomization to immediate receipt of the forgiveness workbook resulted in reductions in unforgiveness (-0.52 standardized mean difference), depression symptoms (-0.22), and anxiety symptoms (-0.21) compared to delayed receipt of the workbook. Meaning: A brief self-directed workbook intervention was effective at promoting forgiveness and reducing depression and anxiety symptoms and could be used as a supplemental therapeutic and preventive approach to improve global mental health.

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Exodus of Clergy: When the Fight is Just Not Worth It Anymore - The Role of Conflict in Responding to the Call (contains only the conference listing)

Conflict affects clergy’s response to the call. Unresolved conflict negatively influences their d... more Conflict affects clergy’s response to the call. Unresolved conflict negatively influences their decision to remain in full-time pastoral ministry. This contributes to a shortage of clergy in the Roman Catholic Church but to a lesser extent the Protestant church, as it faces a distribution or displacement challenge. This shortage of clergy poses a risk to the continued existence of the church as clergy equip congregants to live the faith and transmit it to the next generation. The purpose of this study was to discover what factors are involved in responding to the call to full-time pastoral ministry. A practical theological grounded theory approach was used to discover the properties of the category conflict. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data coded using Glaser and Strauss’ grounded theory methodology in order to determine a basic social psychological process, namely responding to the call. The category of conflict includes properties such immaturity in dealing with conflict, conflict due to miscommunication, congregational conflict, dealing with favoritism, conflict with leadership, and managing conflict or leaving due to conflict. Osmer’s descriptive-empirical model was used to view the category conflict from a practical theological perspective. The results of this study indicate three responses to the call by clergy who left full-time pastoral ministry: not being called in the first place, a dual call (being bi-vocational or it was ‘seasonal’), and being called but leaving anyway due to, among other factors, conflict. Possibilities for equipping clergy in conflict management are considered.

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Exodus of clergy: The role of leadership in responding to the call (contains conference paper draft)

Leaders play an important role in clergy’s response to their call. Toxic leadership, also known a... more Leaders play an important role in clergy’s response to their call. Toxic leadership, also known as the dark side of leadership, negatively influences their decision to remain in full-time pastoral ministry. There is a shortage of clergy in the Roman Catholic Church and a distribution or displacement challenge facing the Protestant church. This poses a risk to the future of the church as without clergy, congregants will not be grounded in the faith nor will the faith be transmitted to the next generation. The purpose of this study was to discover what factors were involved in clergy’s response to the call to full-time pastoral ministry. A practical theological grounded theory approach was used to discover the properties of the category ‘leadership.’ Semi-structured interviews were conducted and data coded using Glaser and Strauss’ grounded theory methodology. The category of ‘leadership’ includes properties such as favouritism, leaders abdicating responsibilities, leaders taking no action/being inactive, leaders ‘labeling’ subordinates, leaders ‘unethical’ behavior, nepotism, poor conflict handling, poor handling of multi-racial issues, being placed on a pedestal, affirming subordinates, and autocratic leadership style. Osmer’s descriptive-empirical task was used as a practical theological lens through which to view the category ‘leadership’. The results indicated three responses by clergy to the call to full-time pastoral ministry: not being called in the first place, a dual call (being bi-vocational or ‘seasonal’), and being called but leaving anyway due to, among other factors, toxic leadership. A steward leadership approach is recommended in response to the dark side of leadership. (Conference paper presented at the Society for Practical Theology in South Africa conference held in Stellenbosch, 18-20 January 2017).

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Exodus of Clergy: Responding to, Reinterpreting, or Relinquishing the Call (contains only the abstract)

Religion Abstracts First Annual International Conference on Religion, 27-30 June 2016. Edited by Gregory T. Papanikos. ISBN: 978-960-598-087-0, 2016

Who will lead the sheep when the shepherds are gone? Clergy play an important role in the establi... more Who will lead the sheep when the shepherds are gone? Clergy play an important role in the establishing and sustaining of the church; without them congregants will not be rooted in the faith nor will the faith be transmitted to the next generation. The shortage of clergy in the Roman Catholic Church and the distribution or displacement challenge facing the Protestant church pose a risk to the future of the church, therefore the response of clergy to their call to full-time service is crucial for the continued existence of the church. Even though an understanding of the call assists clergy in responding to it, a number of them leave full-time service anyway. In addition to their call is the challenge of changing roles and responsibilities. These influence clergy’s response to their call. The purpose of this study is to discover the variables involved in responding to the call to full-time service in a church and explore how clergy exhibit these. A practical theological grounded theory approach is used to discover the properties of the core category calling. Semi-structured interviews are conducted and data are coded using Glaser and Strauss’ grounded theory methodology. The core category of calling includes properties such as age, defining what a call is or isn’t, it evolves over time, it has an aspect of timing, and it requires “worldly experience” to be effective. Osmer’s descriptive-empirical task is used as a practical theological lens through which to view the core category calling. The results indicate three responses of clergy to the call to full-time service in a church: not being called in the first place, a dual call (being bi-vocational), and being called but leaving anyway. (Abstract found on page 42, no. 23 in TOC as at https://www.atiner.gr/abstracts/2016ABST-REL.pdf)

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Exodus of clergy : a practical theological grounded theory exploration

UPSpace, Dec 15, 2012

There is a shortage of clergy, at least in the Roman Catholic Church (cf Schoenherr&Sorenson 1982... more There is a shortage of clergy, at least in the Roman Catholic Church (cf Schoenherr&Sorenson 1982:23; Heilbronner 1998:11; Tentler 1998:348; Carroll 2001:1; Fernandez 2001:ix-x; see Seidler 1979:764; Berger 1987; Hoge et al 1988:264, 280). The Protestant Church in general is experiencing more of a distribution problem than a shortage (cf Chaves 2001:36; see Jud et al 1970:59). The two greatest hindrances to addressing this clergy distribution problem among Protestant churches is a lack of adequate compensation for clergy and the undesirable location, as perceived by clergy, of the church (Chaves 2001:36; see Jud et al 1970:59). Challenges such as secularization, duality of vocation, time management, change in type of ministry, family issues, congregational and denominational conflict, burnout, sexual misconduct, divorce or marital problems, and suicide, affect clergy. Studies on the shortage of clergy have been conducted mostly in the USA and Europe and not in South Africa. This study seeks to address this research gap by means of a practical theological grounded theory exploration of the exodus of clergy. Grounded theory methodology is used to identify the reasons why clergy trained at a Bible College of a Protestant Charismatic mega church leave full-time pastoral ministry. Findings correspond to previous studies with two reasons appearing more frequently than others: responding to a call and leadership related issues. Firstly, respondents differed in their replies with respect to reconciling their leaving full-time pastoral ministry to their call with responses of: not being called, a dual call, or called but left anyway. Secondly, respondents indicated that leadership influence was mostly negative with regard to affirming their call. (Read FULL thesis at http://hdl.handle.net/2263/27595)

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