https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4861-2378
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ABSTRACT
Among the pressing issues in the twenty first century lies the environmental crisis. Younger generations are being bombarded by this issue within their schools, universities, and media platforms. Personalities, such as Greta Thunberg, a young Swedish environmental activist, and other public figures are raising awareness to reduce the carbon footprint for future generations.
Amid this environmental focus, Christians are either divided or remain silent. As a result, younger generations are left concerned, confused, and even outraged, due to this silence or inaction. Many Pentecostal pastor’s kidsfall within this category.
Pentecostal ministers and spouses face the challenge of their children's spiritual well-being. Their children wrestle with many ministry-related circumstances. Consequently, the family of the pastor can be adversely affected. A major question is: How can Pentecostal ministers engage their families with a purpose that could enhance their well-being?
This paper explores whether an intentional focus on Eco-theology could enhance the spiritual well-being of Pentecostal Minister’s Families. Doctor Daryl J. Potts from Alphacrucis University College, Australia, conducted research into ministry families This paper draws from his findings and a further investigation into Eco-theology to explore whether an intentional focus on creation care could strengthen the spiritual well-being of Pentecostal PKs.
Acknowledgements
I could not have completed my PhD without the wonderful support of incredible people. Firstly, I would like to honour the ministers and spouses interviewed for this research. I would also like to thank Associate Professor Denise Austin (primary supervisor), and Dr Juhani Tuovinen (associate supervisor), your wisdom and knowledge were invaluable in bringing this research to completion.
Finally, I thank my wife, Elaine, who has spent many lonely evenings on her own as I wrote my dissertation and prepared this paper.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Correction Statement
This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.
Notes
1 Baptist Care Australia, Positional Statement: Spiritual Wellbeing, 1.
2 University of Lynchburg, Student Life: Spiritual Wellness, 1.
3 Smith, Webber, and DeFrain, Spiritual Well-Being, 3.
4 VanderWeele, et al., On Tradition-specific Measures, 3.
5 Albrecht, Pentecostal Spirituality: Ecumenical Potential, 2.
6 Anderson, Growing up in a Minister’s Home, 393.
7 Strange, Evaluations of Clergy Children, 59
8 Hetzendorfer, Positive Attributes of Preachers’ Kids.
9 Hetzendorfer, Positive Attributes of Preachers’ Kids.
10 Lee and Balswick, Life in a Glasshouse, 163.
11 O’Connor, Hoge and Alexander, The Relative Influence of Youth, 4.
12 Grice, Pastor’s Kids, 42.
13 Ibid., 119.
14 Boquist, Pastoring First Church, 163.
15 Ibid., 91.
16 Grice, Pastor’s Kids, 134.
17 Ibid., 134.
18 Lamp, Ecotheology: A people of the Spirit, 357.
19 Ibid., 357.
20 Ibid., 357.
21 Migliore, Faith Seeking Understanding, 97.
22 Lamp, Reading Green: Tactical Considerations, 357.
23 Conradie, An Ecological Christian Anthropology, 24.
24 McFague, New Climate for Theology, 34.
25 Ayre, Christian Faith and the Earth, 146.
26 Chandler, Creation Care, 114.
27 Swoboda, Tongues and Trees, 13.
28 Lamp, Ecotheology: A people of the Spirit, 358.
29 Warrington, Pentecostal Theology, 238.
30 Ibid., 237.
31 Lamp, Ecotheology: A people of the Spirit, 361.
32 Ibid., 360.
33 Ibid., 361.
34 Ibid., 361.
35 Ibid., 362.
36 Ibid., 361.
37 Crotty, Foundations of Social Research, 2.
38 Padget, Qualitative Methods, 96–7
39 Creswell, Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design, 89.
40 Strauss and Corbin, Basics of Qualitative Research, 96.
41 Ibid., 116.
42 Gilbert, Johnson, and Lewis, Missiological Research, 48.
43 Ibid., 48.
44 Wilson and Darling, ‘Understanding Stress and Life Satisfaction, 136.
45 Lee, Life in a Glasshouse, 163.
46 Strange, Evaluations of Clergy Children, 58.
47 Anderson, Growing up in a Minister’s Home, 393.
48 Ibid., 402.
49 Ibid., 404.
50 Lee, Life in a Glasshouse, 163.
51 Grey Matter Research, Pastors and the Health of their Family, 1.
52 Ibid.
53 Chandler, Creation Care, 114.
54 Swoboda, Eco-Glossolalia, 3.
55 Ibid., 4.
56 Pihkala, Theology of ‘Eco-anxiety’, 545.
57 Thunberg, Speaking at the UN.
58 Maseno and Mamati, An appraisal of the Pentecostal Eco-theology, 1
59 Ibid.
60 Shaw, Working with Australian Church Youth, 2.
61 Brunner, Introducing Evangelical Ecotheology, 180.
62 Habel, Rainbow of Mysteries, 40–1.
63 Ibid., 11.
64 Pihkala, (2018) Theology of ‘eco-anxiety’, 185
65 Ibid.
66 Beukes, Youth, Faith and Environmental Consciousness, 1.
67 Ibid., 2.
68 Ibid., 2.
69 Ibid., 4
70 Ibid., 14
71 Shaw, Working with Australian church youth, 11.
72 Chandler, Creation Care, 119.
73 Ibid., 119.
74 Ibid.
75 Ibid., 120.
76 Ibid.
77 Shaw, Working with Australian church youth, 15.
78 Beukes, Youth, faith and environmental consciousness, 2.
79 Werner, ‘The challenge of environment, 51.
80 Ibid., 52.
81 Chandler, Creation Care, 119.
82 Buxton, Luetz, and Shaw, Towards an Embodied Pedagogy, 55.
83 Ibid., 55.
84 Maseno, An African response, 338.
85 Buxton, Towards an Embodied Pedagogy, 55.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Daryl J. Potts
Daryl J. Potts (PhD, Alphacrucis University College, Australia) was ordained in 1985 in the Assemblies of God, Australia (Now known as Australian Christian Churches). He pastored several local churches for over 30 years and has held executive and leadership roles in this movement and was Vice-President of the South Australian State Executive prior to taking up his role at Alphacrucis University College in 2016. Daryl is now based at the Adelaide Campus of Alphacrucis, where he lectures in many Ministry based subjects. Daryl has also written a book entitled As for me and My House: Keys to a Flourishing Family and Fulfilled Ministry (2020 Wipf & Stock).