A recent report by Bournemouth University and York St. John University sheds light on the challenges faced by working-class members of the clergy within the Church of England, revealing feelings of marginalisation, neglect, and misunderstanding. This report, titled “Rally Cry for Change,” was commissioned by the Church of England itself with the goal of assessing the well-being of clergy from working-class backgrounds and offering recommendations for cultural and procedural changes to combat elitism.
The study’s participants brought to attention several significant issues. They emphasized a lack of practical and emotional support from the Church, including from those responsible for pastoral care, as well as a lack of understanding of the specific obstacles they encountered. Additionally, they noted instances of being pigeonholed into roles in areas characterized by high levels of poverty and social housing, as well as difficulties accessing training in the Church’s residential colleges due to financial constraints. Overall, the findings underscored the disadvantages faced by working-class clergy compared to their middle-class counterparts.
The report also highlighted the presence of a material culture within the Church, including the distribution of book tokens, wine and cheese as tokens of appreciation, and presumed dress codes that reflected an upper-middle-class culture. These experiences had various adverse effects on the well-being of individuals, encompassing psychological, social, and physical implications.
Dr. Alex Fry, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology of Health and Illness at Bournemouth University and co-author of the report, expressed concern about the mental health struggles experienced by many clergy, including anxiety, depression, agitation, dejection, and persistent feelings of being overwhelmed. The limited professional networks within the Church further hindered their ability to access support and transition into new roles. Financial concerns, including immediate and long-term housing, were also prevalent among the participants.
The research team conducted interviews with fifty clergy members across England, including those in various roles within the Church, both paid and voluntary, as well as retirees. Twenty-five of these individuals participated in focus groups to allow for more in-depth analysis.
Dr. Fry and co-author Dr. Sharon Jagger from York St. John University proposed a series of policies aimed at addressing these issues. They emphasized the need for cultural changes within the Church to eliminate blind spots rather than placing the entire burden of well-being on individual clergy members, who have limited power to effect change within a large institution like the Church of England.
The recommendations encompass areas such as clergy selection and training for ordination, senior role appointments, retirement provisions, financial support for working-class clergy, and increased awareness of how the Church’s elite culture impacts the lives and working conditions of its clergy.
Reverend Lynne Cullins, a member of the group that commissioned the report, acknowledged the importance of addressing class bias within the Church of England. She cited years of feedback from working-class leaders who had experienced such bias and emphasized the Church’s commitment to addressing this issue.
You can watch Dr Fry, Dr Jagger discuss the report on with the Religion Media Centre and Reverend Lynne Cullens, Bishop of Barking; Rev Canon Nicholas McKee, Church of England Director for Ministry; and Luke Larner, minister and activist.
The full report is available on the Church of England website here.
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