Help and hindrance: clergy talking about bullying

Abstract

This article focuses on a single theme from a wider doctoral study into the prevalence and pattern of bullying that Anglican clergy experience in their ministry. The theme ‘Help and Hindrance’ was chosen as an indication of the evidence and processes behind wider practical implications. As well as being a detailed exploration within a single Anglican diocese in the United Kingdom, this is a useful resource for people of other denominations seeking commonalities in the experiences of ministers. The theoretical framework includes Rene Girard’s treatment of scapegoating and the application of Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis within Practical Theology.