Attachment and Spiritual Maturity 9
and/or physical exhaustion, decreased productivity, dehumanized treatment of clients,
marital conflict, loneliness, psychosomatic illness, and a substantial decrease in enjoyment
of interpersonal relationships both inside and outside of work (Guy, 1987; Warner &
Carter, 1984). They know their theology but many lack authenticity in their life and
relationships.
These issues of burnout and stress experienced by pastors today are relevant to
seminary training and need to be addressed with future Christian leaders. Seminary
training can prepare students for an emotionally draining lifestyle that tends to inhibit
spiritual development rather than strengthen it.
There are several issues that emerge from this review. One is that
interpersonal/relational deficits are associated with the vast majority of psychological and spiritual problems faced by pastors and thus need to be addressed at an early stage of the
pastor's career (Hall, 1997). Secondly, they seem to be suffering from the same problem
of foundational relational deficiencies that is being seen in students that enter seminary
(Daniels, 1983). Thirdly, it is ironic that the very thing that is emphasized the least in a
pastor's training; namely, relational maturity can be tied to almost every problem the
research indicates is prevalent among pastors (Hall, 1997).
This relational immaturity of pastors is an important problem and the
contemporary conceptualization of spiritual maturity seems to have more to do with
interpersonal relationships and integrity than book knowledge. Spiritual guides for
centuries have told us that without intimate friends, spiritual momentum will not be
maintained. Leaders fail to recognize that their relational deficiencies may be related to
their moral choices. Failing to explore their soul for unwholeness ultimately takes its toll
(MacDonald, 1998). Left unattended, these deficiencies leave leaders prone to
relationship failures as well as ministry failure. This leaves the Christian community
without mature men and women of integrity to lead them.
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