‘Then You Will Know the Truth, and the Truth Will Set You Free’: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Career Experiences of Gay Clergy in the Church of England

Abstract

The career choices of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual (LGB) employees are increasingly under the spotlight in academic research, but the experiences of LGB employees called to devote their careers to faith organisations remain largely unexplored in the literature. The Church of England does not fully condone same-sex relationships and this may pose a challenge for LGB people working for the Church, as they look for a way to reconcile their sexuality with their faith and their employer’s beliefs. This qualitative study explores the lived experiences of six gay clergymen in the Church of England, using data gathered through semi-structured interviews and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three master themes were identified: tensions between sexuality, calling, and career; coping strategies; and the institutionalisation of homophobia in the Church. The findings are discussed with reference to Work as Calling Theory and we offer practical recommendations.

Work as calling theory.

“…Although living out a calling can be beneficial for some individuals, it can also be a double-edged sword at times, causing burnout and workaholism (Duffy et al, 2018;Marsh et al, 2020). Since WCT was proposed, significant research has been done to support many of its propositions (e.g., Connell & Yates, 2021;Duffy et al, 2018). Future research should expand the use of WCT to consider callings outside of the workplace, examine the negative outcomes of living a calling, and evaluate the moderators and mediators of the model.…”

“…In addition to cross-cultural studies, researchers have conducted studies on working adults in the Philippines and England (Connell & Yates, 2021;Presbitero & Teng-Calleja, 2020). Presbitero and Teng-Calleja (2020) found support for WCT's proposition that having a calling can lead to greater positive work and organization outcomes among working adults in various sectors and added that perceived social support can help explain this relation.…”

“…Presbitero and Teng-Calleja (2020) found support for WCT's proposition that having a calling can lead to greater positive work and organization outcomes among working adults in various sectors and added that perceived social support can help explain this relation. Connell and Yates (2021) conducted a qualitative study to understand calling in lesbian, gay, transgender, and questioning or queer (LGBTQ) individuals who perceive their calling to be in the Church. They tracked their experiences with homophobia within the institution and used WCT to highlight the importance of P-E fit.…”

“…They tracked their experiences with homophobia within the institution and used WCT to highlight the importance of P-E fit. Although participants reported their calling was working in the Church, many also felt inauthentic because they could not freely express all aspects of themselves in their workplace and relied on social support to cope (Connell & Yates, 2021). Some participants hid their sexuality out of fear, and others cognitively differentiated the Church and God, stating that God was not the one excluding them but rather the Church and policy.…”

“…Indeed, the barriers that impede individuals' opportunities to attain work in line with their callings are likely nuanced and vary as a function of which marginalized identities a given individual holds. Expanding on a growing body of research designed to understand the nuances in how and for whom barriers to opportunity occur as relevant to calling (e.g., Connell & Yates, 2021) will enable WCT to better account for diverse sets of experiences and contexts.…”