2011
Matthew Richard Lawrence
Writer-Priest: How Pastors Write Their Way Toward Vocational and Congregational Health
This thesis examines the role of writing for pastors, especially as it promotes vocational and congregational health. It examines purported causes for “burnout” among clergy and proposes two additional ways to view clergy burnout from the perspective of the inner life of pastors: the “Moses Syndrome” and the “Peter Syndrome.” It reviews various theories about writing as a spiritual discipline, and draws on the experiences of writer-priests as they reflect on how their writing shapes their experience of the pastorate. The thesis concludes with some recommendations for seminaries, judicatories, and pastors as they seek to prevent clergy burnout and promote clerical and congregational well-being.