More than one third of the incumbents questioned for a survey published this week exhibited signs of clinical depression. The authors of the survey — part of the Church of England’s ongoing Living Ministry study — say that the matter deserves “urgent attention”.
One third of the respondents to the survey (32 per cent) said that they did not trust the diocese to look after their well-being; and nearly one fifth (18 per cent) did not believe that their bishops had their best interests at heart.
The fall in church attendance since the pandemic (News, 10 November 2023) and the cost-of-living crisis are among factors influencing the clergy’s well-being, the authors of the survey suggest. And almost half the stipendiary-clergy respondents agreed that their financial situation was causing them anxiety.
The Living Ministry study of clergy has been running since 2017. The latest report highlights that more than a third of the incumbents responding reported levels of mental health that indicate possible depressionhttps://t.co/roew8BtSId
— Madeleine Davies (@MadsDavies) February 22, 2024