Male and Female Ministers: Comparing Roman Catholic and Methodist Deacons on Personality Structure, Religious Beliefs, and Leadership Styles

J Pastoral Care Counsel. 2017 Mar;71(1):5-11. doi: 10.1177/1542305016681022.

Abstract

Christian deacons (50 Roman Catholic; 50 Methodist) self-reported their personality, religiosity, and leadership attributes, plus social desirability tendencies. There were no significant correlates between social desirability and any of these self-reported variables. Results also found no significant differences across Christian denominations on personality dimensions, religious and spirituality beliefs, or leadership styles. Also, there were no significant differences in self-reported personality, religiosity, or leadership among Catholic male deacons with Methodist female deacons only ( n = 43). Taken together, in the present exploratory study across denomination and gender, Christian deacons view themselves similarly in personality, religiosity, and overall leadership characteristics.

Keywords: Catholic; Christian deacons; Methodist; leadership; personality; religiosity.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Catholicism*
  • Clergy / statistics & numerical data*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Leadership*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Pastoral Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Personality*
  • Protestantism*
  • Sex Factors
  • Spirituality