Stress in religious leaders was investigated by administering to 250 priests, ministers, seminarians, nuns, and brothers the specially devised Religion and Stress Questionnaire and the Osipow and Spokane Occupational Environment Scales, Personal Strain Questionnaire, and Personal Resources Questionnaire. In‐depth interviews were also conducted with 10% of the subjects. Religious leaders experienced lower overall occupational stress and personal strain and evidenced more personal resources than did the normative population. ANOVAs showed ministers to have the highest overall occupational environment stress and vocational strain and next to the lowest scores in overall personal resources of the five groups of religious professionals. In terms of sensitivity to the stress that women in seminary and ministry experience, male and female seminarians and ministers were most aware of these issues, with priests (males only), nuns, and then brothers (in descending order) sensitive to these concerns.
Today perhaps more than ever before it is apparent that religion and feminism have often clashed, mightily wounding each other and scathing those from each camp who holdopposing views. What really happens when women who do not set aside their more traditional beliefs and mores also choose to identify with women who a r e devoutly feminist? Given that the more conservative religious views espouse a patriarchal system while the feminist outlook promotes mutuality between women and men, what do women holding membership in both camps sacrifice in the trade-off?Under what conditions can they maintain such dual membership, and for how long? Do they really feel equally at home in both camps, o r are they the objects ofsuspicionto those in each camp, thus coming to feel ill at ease in either setting? What might be some of the considerations that they give to each persuasion when choosing a point of view? How do they explain their dual positions to those in each camp, to justify their own stances and also possibly to influence others and win them as adherents to both stands in life? Answers to questions concerning the value structures of such women a r e vital for understanding them, for working with them in counseling situations, and helping them to meet today's many chal-
Theobiology proposes that not only pertinent disciplines from the sciences be brought into theological, psychology-of-religion, and spirituality discussions and analyses but that this be done on a systematic, consistent basis. Theobiology does not presume any primacy of the sciences over theology or the psychology of religion/spirituality or vice versa. Nor is revealed knowledge or divine revelation seen as any less important than scientific knowledge. In this theory and methodology, sciences serve as tools or aids to give us deeper understanding of theology and psychology of religion/spirituality. Theobiology theoretical undergirdings include the philosophical approach, with search for truth coming about through logical reasoning rather than factual direct observation and analysis of bases and concepts of fundamental beliefs, and hermeneutics recognizing that all sciences are needed for the most accurate, appropriate interpretation of theological matters.
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