Religion: A Pallid but Personable Faith?

Study says many Protestants want pop psychology, not theology

The sophisticated, once powerful and lately rather liberal Protestant churches of America seem to be in the doldrums, while raw, upstart conservative churches are flourishing. Anyone wondering why could do worse than consult a new book modestly billed as "the most exhaustive study of ministry in the U.S. and Canada ever undertaken." Ministry in America (Harper & Row; $24.95) deals with the qualities that people in local parishes seem to want in their ministers. Time was when Protestants—liberal or conservative in theology—sought strong spiritual leadership and preaching, personal counsel based on the Bible, even some evangelistic flair. Now, says the report, the liberal churches want mostly pop psychology.

The ministry survey began when the Association of Theological Schools started wondering whether seminaries were turning out the sort of graduates congregations actually want. To find out, a research team developed a list of 444 traits (e.g., "prays with laity in small groups" or "expresses own ideas freely") and got preference ratings of their importance from thousands of laymen, parish ministers, professors, senior seminary students and experts on the placement of clergy. The survey sample covered 43 Protestant denominations with 55 million members (plus Roman Catholics, Orthodox, Unitarians and Reform Jews). The most desirable traits: 1) "Open, Affirming Style"; 2) "Caring for Persons under Stress" (with no mention of any religious content); 3) "Congregational Leadership." To a striking extent, many people put appealing personal qualities well above traditional pastoral concern for doctrine and spiritual life, or otherworldly values based on the teachings of the Bible.

For example, members of the huge (though declining) United Methodist Church, which began in the 18th century as a spiritual revival movement, want clergy who are "open, accepting, self-critical, patient, participatory and exemplary." All are qualities involved with psychological jargon, interpersonal relationships and group dynamics. John Wesley, meet Dale Carnegie or Michael Murphy of Esalen.

Similarly, the study portrays the U.S. Episcopal Church—and the Anglican Church of Canada—the way a New Yorker cartoon might, as denominations held together less by shared belief than by cultural and class ties. According to the study, Episcopalians tend to have little interest in the Bible as a source of specific moral guidance. Parishioners' approval of a minister depends not so much on his faith as on how well he gets along with people, with heavy emphasis on humility and "lack of ego-strength." This, says the book, seems to "favor incompetence."

The United Church of Christ (including former Congregationalists) is noteworthy in how little interest its members displayed concerning a pastor's religiosity, biblical faith, evangelism, piety or explicit emphasis on spiritual renewal and liturgy.