Steve Dow and Larry Schwartz did well summarizing the complex issue of ‘Burnout’ among clergy (‘Crisis of Faith’, Sunday Age, 28/10/01).

Two comments:

1. The figure of 12,000 Australian ex-pastors needs some clarification. This emanates from my research among this group, and is extrapolated from asking over fifty clergy conferences, and hundreds of individual pastors ‘How many from your ordination cohort are still in pastoral/parish ministry?’ The average response – about 50 per cent. The figure is lower in some denominations – for example those which major on church-planting. In other words, there are as many ‘ordained’ or ‘accredited’ pastors in other secular or religious vocations as there are serving in a parish. Most ex-pastors left in a context of conflict, but as I am quoted as suggesting in the article, we have to go _behind_ the conflict to understand the deeper reasons (like unresolved childhood issues etc.)

2. Only a small minority of ex-pastors left via sexual misdemeanours or theological incompatibility with their churches.

I see ‘Rolls of Honour’ everywhere encouraging us to remember those who have fallen in battle defending our freedoms. I have never seen a ‘Roll of Honour’ reminding us of those who have fallen in the spiritual battle. No Christian denomination I know keeps a published list of such people. We in the Church sometimes shoot our wounded, then hope they’ll quietly go away…

(Rev. Dr.) Rowland Croucher Director John Mark Ministries (Counseling and consulting services for pastors and ex-pastors)