The Spiritual Practices of South African Clergy: State of the Clergy - Hardcover

by Annelie Botha (Contribution by), Graham A. Duncan (Contribution by), Anthony Egan (Contribution by)

Clergy play an important role in the spiritual wellbeing of their congregation. They are entrusted by the Great Shepherd to shepherd his flock which entails leading them to green pastures and still waters, for example, pastoral care, and defending them from predatory animals, for example, heresy. However, clergy are sheep before they are shepherds and are also in need of the green pastures and still waters of meditation, prayer, fasting, and Bible study. These are known as inward spiritual disciplines (exercises) and have been practiced for centuries. Spiritual Practices of South African Clergy: State of the Clergy discusses these inward spiritual disciplines' mental, physical, spiritual and social benefits. The volume explores how clergy from five diverse denominations practice these specific inward spiritual disciplines. They include the Methodist, Netherdutch, Pentecostal, Presbyterian, and Roman Catholic faith traditions. This book focuses on clergy in the Global South and how they practice these spiritual disciplines within their context. Clergy, congregants, academics and lay-persons alike will benefit from the research conducted.

Author Biography

Shaun Joynt is research associate at the University of the Free State, lecturer at the University of South Africa, and postgraduate supervisor at the South African Theological Seminary.