Table 2.
Clergy characteristics | N = 35 | % |
---|---|---|
Male gender | 32 | 91.4 |
Average years serving as clergy (N = 32)c | 20 years | |
Geographical location | ||
Northeast | 11 | 31.4 |
Southwest | 11 | 31.4 |
Midwest | 10 | 28.6 |
West | 3 | 8.6 |
Race (N = 32) | ||
White | 16 | 50.0 |
Black | 14 | 43.7 |
Asian | 2 | 6.3 |
Ethnicity (N = 30) | ||
Latino/Hispanic | 2 | 6.7 |
Religious tradition | ||
Protestanta | 27 | 77.1 |
Roman Catholic | 4 | 11.4 |
Eastern Orthodox | 1 | 2.9 |
Jewish | 2 | 5.7 |
Other (Center for Spiritual Living) | 1 | 2.9 |
Educational level (N = 34) | ||
Below master's degree | 6 | 17.7 |
Master's degree (e.g., M.Div.) | 15 | 44.1 |
Doctoral degree | 13 | 38.2 |
Theological orientation (N = 32) | ||
Theologically “conservative”b | 21 | 65.6 |
Theologically “liberal” | 11 | 34.4 |
Received prior training in end-of-life care (N = 31) | 23 | 74.1 |
Protestant clergy identified with the following Protestant denominations: Assemblies of God (2), Baptist (5), Congregational (4), Episcopalian (1), Methodist (3), Nondenominational (6), Presbyterian (1), and Seventh-Day Adventist (1). Four Protestant clergy did not disclose specific denominational information.
Clergy were categorized as theologically conservative if they agreed with the following statement: “My religious tradition's Holy Book is perfect because it is the Word of God.”
Not all participants responded to every question.