Comparing the Psychological Profiles of Anglican Clergy and Anglican Churchgoers in the United States

Psychological type and psychological temperament theory have contributed to the two fields of congregation studies and clergy studies. The present study brings these two fields together by drawing on data from an online survey employing the Francis Psychological Type and Emotional Temperament Scales promoted among clergy and laity in the United States. The analyses compare the profiles of 467 clergywomen and 1,910 female churchgoers, and the profiles of 418 clergymen and 859 male churchgoers, affiliated with the Episcopal Church in the United States. The data are consistent with findings from earlier research among Anglicans in England and Wales, indicating significant differences in type and temperament between Anglican clergy and the members of their congregations. For example, in terms of temperament theory 66% of female churchgoers and 68% of male churchgoers reported as sensing and judging (SJ) compared with 43% of clergywomen and 48% of clergymen. Appreciation of these differences may help to promote greater understanding between Anglican clergy and laity

Uncivil Discourses: Timely Reflections on the Lives of Educators

Public education has always had critics, whether on policy directions, teaching curricula, bureaucratic governance, or financing through taxes. Discussion and debate are nothing new in the field of educational leadership, even when “divisive concepts” such as diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice are being questioned. Yet, today, civil discourses and honest disagreements have turned into uncivil discourses and mis/disinformed aggressive attacks. As educators and ordinary citizens, it is as if we are caught in difficult circumstances threatening our very purpose of living together. It is hard to stay optimistic without sounding naïve. Disagreement has become a fight that not only separates winners from losers but also dehumanizes and criminalizes “others.” How do educators respond in an environment where hostile actions are not only being normalized but venerated? The chapter inserts itself into today’s attacks by offering readers everyday alternatives on living well and disagreeing well. It seeks common ground, not as compromises but as imaginative and alternative ways forward. We utilize historical and contemporary sources to present an ordinary language philosophy for understanding differences and disagreements.• . and Peart, S., (2025) Uncivil Discourses: Timely Reflections on the Lives of Educators, in International Handbook of Educational Leadership and Social (In)Justice 2nd Edition Carolyn Shields and Ira Bogotch (eds) Springe

Accessing visitor perception of an immersive cathedral experience: applying the Jungian lenses of sensing and intuition and Bailey’s theory of implicit religion

The SIFT hermeneutical approach, rooted in Jungian psychological type theory, distinguishes between two core cognitive processes: perceiving concerned with gathering information and judging concerned with evaluating information. The present study applies this approach to eliciting and interpreting visitor perceptions of an immersive cathedral installation (a pre-Christmas son et lumiere) by focusing on the perceiving lenses of sensing and intuition. Drawing on data from 545 visitors, analysis of qualitative responses to the sensing prompt ‘What details, factors and features of the installation caught your attention and have stayed with you?’ identified six main themes. Analysis of qualitative responses to the intuitive prompt ‘What big ideas, themes, dreams or possibilities inspired your imagination during the installation?’ identified five main themes. These two prompts generated quite different responses, suggesting that a complementary and richer perception of the total experience could be accessed by engaging both the sensing function and the intuitive function

Empirical Validation of a Streamlined Three-Repetition Sit-to-Stand Protocol Using MAI Motion

MAI Motion is a motion capture system designed to assess lower-limb biomechanics during functional movements like the sit-to-stand (STS) test. Determining how many repetitions are needed to obtain reliable measurements is critical for balancing data quality and participant burden. This study evaluates whether three repetitions (3x) of STS provide reliable data compared to five repetitions (5x). Three-dimensional videos of participants (n = 20) performing 5x STS movements were captured using MAI Motion. Primary measurements were the mean values of each joint angle and the coefficient of variation (CV). Statistical comparisons (including one way ANOVA followed by paired t-tests or non-parametric equivalents) determined whether differences in mean (DiM) values or CV existed between 3x and 5x. The analysis revealed minimal DiM angles between 3x and 5x. Variability, assessed via CV, showed no clinically meaningful differences. Although ankle angle, knee and hip abduction had higher CV values than the other metrics, 3x and 5x performed similarly. Participants reported that 3x required less effort than 5x, underscoring its potential for clinical application. These findings demonstrate that the MAI Motion system captures comparable biomechanical data to the 5x STS protocol when using a 3x approach. This supports the adoption of 3x as a practical alternative, reducing participant burden

Accessing visitor evaluation of an immersive cathedral experience: applying the Jungian lenses of feeling and thinking and Bailey’s theory of implicit religion

The SIFT hermeneutical approach, rooted in Jungian psychological type theory, distinguishes between two core cognitive processes: perceiving concerned with gathering information and judging concerned with evaluating information. The present study applies this approach to eliciting and interpreting visitor evaluation of an immersive cathedral installation (a pre-Christmas son et lumiere) by focusing on the evaluative lenses of feeling and thinking. Drawing on data from 545 visitors, analysis of qualitative responses to the feeling prompt, ‘What touched your heart during the installation or connected with your values?’ identified ten main themes. Analysis of qualitative responses to the thinking prompt, ‘What big questions were raised in your mind during the installation or connected with your interests?’ identified seven main themes. These two prompts generated quite different responses, suggesting a complementary and richer evaluation of the total experience could be accessed by engaging both the feeling function and the thinking function

Too woke or not woke enough? Racial awareness in the Church of England

The Church of England has recently engaged again with issues of racism by setting up the Anti-Racism Taskforce in 2020 followed by the Archbishops’ Commission for Racial Justice in 2021. Both groups stressed the lack of progress in tackling racism in the Church and the need to raise awareness of racial injustice at all levels. This paper reports on the measurement of racial awareness among 3,167 clergy and lay people who took part in the Church 2024 survey. Eight items in the survey were used to create the Racial Awareness Scale (RAS). Results suggested a mixed picture with majority awareness that racial inequality is an important issue that needs to be addressed, majority rejection of the idea that there may be local or institutionally embedded racism, and enthusiasm for diversifying leadership but not for taking specific actions relating to historic slavery. Multiple regression analysis showed racial awareness was shaped by a complex mixture of individual, contextual and religious factors

Listening to the voices of Religious Education professionals: the relationship between technology and Religious Education

Across Europe, more or less simultaneously, the Covid-19 pandemic accelerated (and stimulated) the use and development of technology in education settings, as new ways of teaching and learning had to be created in response to practical constraints introduced by temporary school closures. Although a sizeable body of research has examined this phenomenon from a range of perspectives in education, considerably less research has been conducted in the context of Religious Education. The current study aims to listen to 16 Religious Education professionals in Europe as they reflect upon and critically consider their experiences of technology during the pandemic and its implications for both present and future Religious Education. Content analyses identified eight inter-related areas of interest and concern for participants, which include technology and Religious Education, alongside wellbeing, life questions, understanding Religious Education, teachers’ situation, relationships, social aspects and wider context. Results show that the Religious Education professionals held strong views about the use of technology in Religious Education, including the challenges and opportunities presented in comparison with in-person teaching practices. Four areas of interest emerge, which are concerned with: effects on relationships; potential for teaching and learning; attitudes to online settings; and (un)changed understandings of RE

Faith in science, implicit religion and antipathy to religions: a study among Christian and non-religious students

Bailey’s notion of implicit religion is invoked to explore the conflict between science and religion in the adolescent mind. This conflict is reconceptualised in terms of the theologies of religion. On this account, belief in science (as implicit religion) when adopted as a fundamentalist or exclusive position excludes the validity of other religious belief-systems (in this case explicit religions). This thesis is tested by exploring the effect of an exaggerated, uncritical and unqualified belief in the inerrancy of science (styled ‘scientific fundamentalism’) on a hostile and unfriendly attitude towards conventional religions (styled ‘antipathy to religions’). Data were provided by a sample of 10,792 13- to 15-year-old students attending schools in the UK who had identified themselves as either religiously unaffiliated or as affiliated with the Christian tradition. After controlling for personal, psychological and religious factors, the data confirmed a significant positive association between scientific fundamentalism and antipathy to religions. The implications of these findings are discussed for the science education curriculum in schools, arguing that the conflict between science and religion (promoted by an exclusivist position in science) is as damaging for community cohesion as the conflict between different religions (promoted by an exclusivist position in religion)

Companion Animals and Work-Related Psychological Health among Rural Anglican Parochial Clergy in England

This study examines the theory that companion animals may contribute positively to work-related psychological health among rural Anglican parochial clergy serving in England, and thus protect against burnout. Data provided by 621 clergy serving in rural ministry (25% female and 75% male) found that 31% shared their home with at least one cat and 35% with at least one dog. Participants completed the Francis Burnout Inventory and the short form of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised. After controlling for personal factors (age and sex) and personality factors, neither cats nor dogs were significantly associated with individual differences in scores on the burnout inventory