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The Odd Couple: A Developmental Perspective In Pastoral Relationship Dynamics, Paul Donald Scuse

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This thesis looks at the complex nature of the relationship between the pastor of a congregation and the members of the parish. The relationship is first viewed from a number of different perspectives: self psychology, systems theory and object relations. Each perspective adds new insight to the nature of this many-sided relationship. These perspectives, however, look primarily at a static view of the relationship. A qualitative research study was conducted to investigate the following research question: D0 pastors and congregational members experience the pastor-parish relationship as developing over time? Fourteen pastors and nine parishioners were asked to comment on their …