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Patterns of Ministry of Clergy Married to Clergy in the Church of England

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 November 2014

Susie Collingridge
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Abstract

This article argues that for good practice, well-being and fruitful ministry, decisions by and about clergy married to clergy (CMC) in the Church of England require a clear quantitative picture of their ministry, and offers such a picture in early 2013 drawn primarily from published data, compared with national Church of England statistics. Over 26 per cent more clergy dyads were found than previously thought, with many active in ministry. A wide variety of ministry patterns were identified, including a higher than normal percentage in non-parochial roles, supporting previous research noting high levels of boundary enmeshment and absorptiveness. Considerable gender inequality prevailed in shared parochial settings in spite of women having been ordained priest for nearly 20 years, with very few wives holding more senior positions than their husbands, while female CMC are more likely to be dignitaries than other ordained women.

Keywords

clergycouplesclergy married to clergyChurch of Englandministry patternschaplaincygender inequality
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Anglican Studies , Volume 13 , Issue 1 , May 2015 , pp. 68 - 91
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Copyright
Copyright © The Journal of Anglican Studies Trust 2014 

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Footnotes

1.

The Revd Susie Collingridge, Email: [email protected]

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