Reviewed Book: Gaddy, C Welton. A soul under siege: surviving clergy depression. Louisville, Ky: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991

Weigel, Arnold D.

English

Scholars Commons

A soul under siege: surviving clergy depression

Wilfrid Laurier University

ConsensusVolume 18Issue 2 Word and Worship: Essays on Preaching andLiturgyArticle 1711-1-1992A soul under siege: surviving clergy depressionArnold D. WeigelFollow this and additional works at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensusThis Book Reviews is brought to you for free and open access by Scholars Commons @ Laurier. It has been accepted for inclusion in Consensus by anauthorized editor of Scholars Commons @ Laurier. For more information, please contact scholarscommons@wlu.ca.Recommended CitationWeigel, Arnold D. (1992) "A soul under siege: surviving clergy depression," Consensus: Vol. 18 : Iss. 2 , Article 17.Available at: http://scholars.wlu.ca/consensus/vol18/iss2/17134 ConsensusA Soul Under Siege: Surviving Clergy DepressionC. Welton GaddyLouisville, KY: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991174 pagesWhile taking a quarter of Supervised Pastoral Education, I remembermy supervisor saying; “Last night I read this article on how lonely chap-laincy is. And you know with practically every word, I was saying, ‘Whythat’s me. I can see myself there.’ ”As I read Gaddy’s A Soul Under Siege similar feelings prevailed withme. Not that I have “stopped the show”, as did this Baptist minister,entered a well-organized psychiatric hospital and received psychiatric carethere. But that much of what he says about the realities of being a minister,about the strains and struggles of being an on-going care-giver, of livingwith a pastoral identity, of what he has personally felt, thought, feared andhoped amidst active ministry—all this begins to feel “captivatingly true”.Of course, such identification constitutes a primary purpose for thisbook. Gaddy says: “Here is one person’s experience, my experience, of-fered with the desire that a candid retelling of it can help those who haveexperienced, are confronting, or will face a bottoming-out moment in theirlives to so deal with their situation that they will turn it around, thustransforming it into a time of bottoming-up” (28).Throughout this confessional story the author afiirms the wisdom inrecognizing that “ministers are people who do ministry. Most essentialin that observation is the recognition that ministers are people, persons”(34). In addition to denying that “I was human”, Gaddy states, “for severalyears I barely acknowledged the presence of depression in my life, much lessattempted to deal with it. . . ignoring it when I could and never admittingit to anyone else” (63).However, slowly but surely, as family and friends saw more sharplywhat was going on than did Gaddy himself, there emerged within himthe candid admission that something wasn’t right. “In my experience,the absence of fulfilment personally, far more than the presence of a fullschedule of ministries, was the essential factor in a submission to stressand the development of depression” (69). Guilt and anger and grief—howpowerful these become! A sense of frustration, futility and loss accompanyand result from these feelings of limited and/or no fulfilment to the pointthat self-esteem dissipates and self-confidence all but disappears. Gaddytakes the reader engagingly and refiectively into and through his journeyinto depression and his movement towards wellness.Revealingly, Gaddy identifies in the hospital “a more honest communitythan he had ever known in churches” (9). “Tolerance was as much a givenas acceptance in this hospital unit” (111). The author reflects, “Imaginethe positive difference that could be made in people’s lives if they wereencouraged to be themselves, spared acceptance based on performance, andBook Reviews 135extended tolerance in the face of even radical uniqueness. Stress-relateddifficulties could be reduced significantly, the general level of people’s self-esteem raised appreciatively, and relaxation experienced regularly” (112).“I can honestly say that I saw signs of health and principles of behavioramong the people behind that locked door which, if embraced by peopleon the other side, could contribute to the enhancement of life in an opensociety” (125).Although Gaddy did not enter the ordained ministry wishing to “serveas the Messiah”, he notes significantly that “my actions revealed a ‘mes-sianic mind-set’ ” (129). “Who but the Messiah sees herself as indispensablein every ministry of the church, imagines that he never requires relaxationand rest, insists on being present at every meeting within a fellowship, de-termines to give leadership in all realms of an institution’s life, always wantsanother challenge, refuses to acknowledge limitations, gives no thought tothe needs of herself? Actually, no one, not even the Messiah” (130). Iron-ically, “efforts to do more and more are met with abilities to do less andless” (131). Gaddy’s word of wisdom: Take seriously what is recorded inExodus 18:17-18 and in Mark 9:24!Some of the practical advice Gaddy offers to churches is: Be realisticin your expectations of ministers; remember that perfect pastors are asdifficult to find as perfect parishioners; insist that your pastor participatein regularly scheduled experiences of continuing education and relaxation;practice love and grace (162-164). His counsel to ministers, which he inclu-sively calls “advice to adults” is: Trust God alone; remember that deceptiondestroys more than it preserves; do not ever say “never”; be a friend; play;take care of yourself and your family; keep in touch with reality; ask forhelp (150-159).In a day when many are the ministers who are feeling stressed, lonelyand/or depressed, “the confessions” of C. Welton Gaddy have much tooffer. I have a hunch that we all can find ourselves described somewhereon these pages, and in that recognition there may be some wisdom here formeaningful living and helpful service.Arnold D. WeigelWaterloo Lutheran SeminaryGod Calls: Man Chooses. A Study of Women in Min-istryGrace M. Anderson and Juanne Nancarrow ClarkeBurlington, ON: Trinity Press, 1990167 pagesAs the title indicates this book is a study of women in ministry basedon a questionnaire sent to 1985 female graduates of Eastern Canadian semi-naries and other institutions providing training for full-time ministry in the

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