Parish clergy and the aged: examining stereotypes

Area of Science:

• Sociology of Religion
• Gerontology
• Social Psychology

Background:

• Clergy's pastoral interactions with aging parishioners are crucial for community well-being.
• Previous assumptions suggested clergy might avoid or dislike ministering to the elderly.
• Concerns exist regarding ageism and value orientations (instrumental vs. expressive) in pastoral care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine hypotheses about clergy's enjoyment of pastoral contacts with older parishioners.
• To investigate whether clergy exhibit ageist preferences or prioritize instrumental over expressive values in these interactions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from a national probability sample of 654 American Baptist parish ministers.
• Analyzed clergy's self-reported enjoyment of pastoral contacts with various age groups.
• Assessed the relationship between clergy's ageist views, value orientations, and engagement with the elderly.

Main Results:

• A majority of clergy do not express an aversion to ministering to older individuals; it is neither a least nor most enjoyable activity.
• Evidence suggests some ageist tendencies, with clergy preferring interactions with younger adults over the aged.
• Clergy who share expressive values with the elderly are more likely to find ministering to them enjoyable.

Conclusions:

• The findings challenge the notion that clergy universally dislike ministering to the aged.
• Ageism in pastoral preferences exists, but shared expressive interests can mitigate this.
• Understanding clergy's value orientations is key to enhancing pastoral care for older adults.