Uncertainty in Clergy’s Perspectives on Homosexuality: A Research Note

This research note analyzes expressions of uncertainty in clergy’s perspectives on homosexuality. We conducted interviews with forty Christian clergy who lead congregations in the vicinity of one large southeastern US city. Seven in ten clergy interviewed expressed uncertainty in their personal opin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Review of religious research
Authors: Cadge, Wendy (Author) ; Girouard, Jennifer (Author) ; Olson, Laura R. (Author) ; Lylerohr, Madison (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Springer 2012
In: Review of religious research
Further subjects:B Uncertainty
B Homosexuality
B United States
B Religion
B Clergy
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Summary:This research note analyzes expressions of uncertainty in clergy’s perspectives on homosexuality. We conducted interviews with forty Christian clergy who lead congregations in the vicinity of one large southeastern US city. Seven in ten clergy interviewed expressed uncertainty in their personal opinions about homosexuality, uncertainty about how they should act pursuant to the issue, or both. We describe clergy’s experiences with these uncertainties and analyze the patterns in which it appears in their opinions and actions regarding homosexuality. The nuance evident in these patterns illustrates how a range of superseding factors influence clergy’s opinions about homosexuality and the extent to which they feel constrained in taking action with regard to the issue. We argue for the conceptual value of a framework that provides space for analysis of uncertainty in public opinion about contentious social issues such as homosexuality.
ISSN:2211-4866
Contains:Enthalten in: Review of religious research
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1007/s13644-012-0058-1