Conflict in the church : a gender based comparative study of the experience of conflict between minister and congregation in single handed charges of the Church of Scotland
This thesis examines, on the basis of gender, the issues surrounding the occurrence of conflict as it is experienced by ministers of the Church of Scotland working as the only person, ordained to Word and Sacrament, in their parish. The investigation used both quantitative and qualitative instruments to gather data from a sample of 123 females and 770 males out of a population of 123 females and 1042 males. The instruments were posted together in a single mailing in order to preserve the anonymity of the respondents. The survey data identified in particular the high percentage of respondents who claimed some experience of conflict in their present or immediate past Charge; the level of that conflict as assessed by the respondents using the range developed by Leas and Kittlaus, and the time in the parish before conflict occurred. The research also highlighted a general lack of any formal training in conflict management. The qualitative data served to highlight the wide range of issues, which have been identified as conflict generators within congregations of the Church of Scotland. The data indicates the range of conflict encounters experienced by both males and females based on the Leas and Kittlaus' theory
Barclay, Iain C.
Management; Support; Parish; Ministry; Men; Women
Conflict in the church : a gender based comparative study of the experience of conflict between minister and congregation in single handed charges of the Church of Scotland. This thesis examines, on the basis of gender, the issues surrounding the occurrence of conflict as it is experienced by ministers of the Church of Scotland working as the only person, ordained to Word and Sacrament, in their parish. The investigation used both quantitative and qualitative instruments to gather data from a sample of 123 females and 770 males out of a population of 123 females and 1042 males. The instruments were posted together in a single mailing in order to preserve the anonymity of the respondents. The survey data identified in particular the high percentage of respondents who claimed some experience of conflict in their present or immediate past Charge; the level of that conflict as assessed by the respondents using the range developed by Leas and Kittlaus, and the time in the parish before conflict occurred. The research also highlighted a general lack of any formal training in conflict management. The qualitative data served to highlight the wide range of issues, which have been identified as conflict generators within congregations of the Church of Scotland. The data indicates the range of conflict encounters experienced by both males and females based on the Leas and Kittlaus' theory
conflict church gender base comparative_study experience conflict minister congregation single hand charge church_scotland examines basis gender issue_surround occurrence conflict experience minister church_scotland work person ordain word sacrament parish investigation use_quantitative qualitative instrument gather_data sample female_male population female_male instrument post together single mail order preserve anonymity respondent survey_data identify particular high percentage respondent claim experience conflict present immediate past charge level conflict assess respondent use range develop time parish conflict occur also_highlight general lack formal training conflict management qualitative_data serve highlight wide_range issue identify conflict generator within congregation church_scotland data_indicate range conflict encounter experience male_female base theory