Ministry Integration Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Ministry Integration Project - Essay Example Similarly, the experience of the graduate clergy education presents challenges and benefits for the nonstudent spouse1. They explain that these challenges extend beyond the classroom to also include social and economic issues, as well as academics. According Calian, "Seminary is graduate education that focuses on the theological, pastoral, and practical training of pastors and clergy2. It may take relatively long depending on the program one is undertaking. During this time, many couples find increased stressors and is also a period when non-students spouses feel left behind relationally, socially and vocationally3. Also, being married to a clergy graduate spouse would mean having to go some personal ambitions and desires of life and support ones partner in the ministry. According to the research that was done on the loneliness that most wives to clergy husbands face, seven of them confessed to having at one point felt guarded which in turn leads to loneliness4. These are real challenges that whoever is planning on joining a relationship with such seminary/theological graduates have to brace themselves to deal with. It is also clear that it may be worse, problem being that such people never confess/admit openly to such problems lest they are seen to be weak leaders. For this matter, they keep to themselves most of the time just referring to their spouse for consolation. The question is, what if the spouse is the problem? According to journal on "Care For Pastors, Learning From Clergy And their Spouses, by Alicia M. Root, Nicole Gilbert, and Adeline Yap, 2005, they advise that the seminary should acknowledge that a problem exist and appropriate strategies put in place to take care of the same5. They also encourage that psychologists should put in place measures to make it friendly for pastors to seek their services without having to go through the queuing process other clients go through if at all they are to help sort this problem