Political Polarization as an Occupational Hazard: Evidence from United Methodist Clergy

• In Event: Sociology of Religion Section Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (60 minute): Table 7. Clergy and Congregations

Abstract

As affective political polarization grows in the United States, there is evidence for increased health burdens in ideologically mismatched social environments. Increased workplace conflict over ideological issues may drive this association. Ideological discordance between clergy and their congregants is common in Mainline Protestant churches, potentially leading to increased conflict, which could negatively impact the well-being of clergy. Using responses from 648 United Methodist clergy in North Carolina, we examined the association between clergy political affiliations, perceptions of congregant politics, political mismatch, perceived political conflict, and clergy occupational distress. Democrat pastors were more likely to report political mismatch and conflict with their congregants. Both perceptions of mismatch and conflict over political issues were independently associated with increased occupational distress, with conflict being the primary factor.

Authors

• David E. Eagle, Duke University

• Gabriel Varela, Duke University