Personality Religion And Leadership

In Personality, Religion, and Leadership, Christopher F. J. Ross and Leslie J. Francis illustrate how Jungian archetypes can help religious leaders understand and deal with their personal spiritual journeys in times of stress and success and build strong religious communities that contain a diverse array of psychological types.

Combining pastoral and behavioral science expertise, the authors spell out ways type and temperament theory illuminate the clergy role. Learn how to use the 16 Myers-Briggs personality types to recognize and affirm your gifts, work with your liabilities, and understand and accept those with whom you minister. "Being a parish pastor is a very complex role. Our mission in this book is to make that task a little less complex and a little more fun by looking at our congregations through the lens of the MBTI." -- The authors

This unique study of religious leadership guides the reader through the personalities and action contexts of leaders of world religions. A trajectory of sacred authority is identified, stretching from the animating depths of a leader's inner life, to the vitalizing bond connecting a leader to followers, and finally to the powerful inertia of the culture of the religion a leader represents. A psychological typology of leaders is developed on the basis of this trajectory in the history of religions as it is seen in leaders' action contexts: Self-Encounterer, Group-Container, Tradition-Manager. Illustrations include Martin Luther King, Jr., Ramakrishna, Helena Blavatsky, Oral Roberts, Emmanuel Milingo, Salama ibn Hassan Salama, Jonathan Edwards, and the Dalai Lama. Considerable attention is given to methodology in the scientific study of religion, with special emphasis on contemporary depth psychology. The book is useful not only for predicting future religious leadership, but also for training religious professionals.

This 2-volume set within The SAGE Reference Series on Leadership tackles issues relevant to leadership in the realm of religion. It explores such themes as the contexts in which religious leaders move, leadership in communities of faith, leadership as taught in theological education and training, religious leadership impacting social change and social justice, and more. Topics are examined from multiple perspectives, traditions, and faiths. Features & Benefits: By focusing on key topics with 100 brief chapters, we provide students with more depth than typically found in encyclopedia entries but with less jargon or density than the typical journal article or research handbook chapter. Signed chapters are written in language and style that is broadly accessible. Each chapter is followed by a brief bibliography and further readings to guide students to sources for more in-depth exploration in their research journeys. A detailed index, cross-references between chapters, and an online version enhance accessibility for today's student audience.

New religious movements—or so-called “cults”—continue to attract and mystify us. While mainstream America views cults as an insidious mix of apocalyptic beliefs, science fiction, and paranoia, with new vehicles such as the World Wide Web, they are becoming even more influential as the millennium approaches. Len Oakes—a former member of such a movement—explores the phenomenon of cult leaders. He examines the psychology of charisma and proposes his own theory of the five-stage life cycle of the two types of prophets: the messianic and the charismatic.

New religious movements—or so-called "cults"—continue to attract and mystify us. While mainstream America views cults as an insidious mix of apocalyptic beliefs, science fiction, and paranoia, with new vehicles such as the World Wide Web, they are becoming even more influential as the millennium approaches. Len Oakes—a former member of such a movement—explores the phenomenon of cult leaders. He examines the psychology of charisma and proposes his own theory of the five-stage life cycle of the two types of prophets: the messianic and the charismatic.