Pastoral Ethics: Professional Responsibilities of the Clergy

by Gaylord Noyce

Overview

Like most community leaders, clergy are constantly asked to make decisions that have far-reaching effects. For clergy, the matter is particularly complicated because of the many arenas in which they operate—counseling, church management, community affairs, ecumenical relationships, denominational politics, and others. In Pastoral Ethics, Gaylord Noyce looks at clergy as professionals, and shows what can be learned from the professional ethics of other disciplines. He also demonstrates the special responsibilities (and opportunities) that affect those who are ordained. A book at once practical and prophetic, Pastoral Ethics is the standard for a new generation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780687303380
Publisher:	Abingdon Press
Publication date:	12/01/1988
Pages:	224
Sales rank:	1,026,969
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.56(d)

Table of Contents

	Introduction	11
1.	A Framework for Pastoral Ethics	15
	Promise-making
	Aspects of Professional Commitment
	Ethics and the More Excellent Way
2.	The Ethics of Pastoral Leadership	29
	Faithful Integrity
	Leadership Within, Not Above
	Leadership Style
	An Ethics of Management
	Mediating Within the Oikumene
	Creative Leadership and Ethical Restraint
3.	The Ethics of Preaching and Teaching	49
	Fidelity in Preaching
	Responsibility to and with Scripture
	Integrity in Preaching
	Freedom of the Pulpit--and Pew
	Preaching on Social Issues
	In Sum: The Promise of Preaching
4.	Ethical Concerns in Pastoral Care	71
	The Moral Setting for Pastoral Care
	Contract and Availability
	Who Are in the "Parish"?
	Referral
	Professional Distance
	The Minister as Moral Counselor
5.	Applications in Pastoral Care	89
	Confidentiality
	A Long Tradition
	Telling the Truth with Dying Patients
	Cross Gender Pastoral Care and Counseling
	Sexual Contact with Parishioners
	Clergy Adultery and Divorce
	Serving as Reference
	Independent Pastoral Counseling
6.	Financing Ministry	113
	Ambiguities
	Moonlighting and Tent Making
	The Erosion of Clergy Pay
	Fees and Honoraria
	Guidelines
	Fund Raising
	Clergy Unions
	Evaluation and Increments
	The Simple Life
7.	Relationships with Other Clergy	133
	Relations to Successors
	Competition
	Ecumenical Ethics
	The Assistant, the Associate, and the Interim
	Colleagueship
	References
8.	Community Outreach and Social Action	151
	Recent History
	Dilemmas of Public Ministry
	Public Ministry Imperatives
	Some Axioms and Obligations
	Church and State
	Partisan Politics and the Pastor
	Corporate Church and Individual Pastor
9.	Public Relations, Evangelism, and Church Growth	171
	Four Affirmations
	Professional Perspective
	Method in Evangelism and Promotion
	Principles of Action
10.	Personal Life	183
	Freedom of Self: the Public-Private Boundary
	Congruence
	Time for Work and Family
	"Distance" and Availability
	Professional Growth
	Prayer
11.	A Brief Postscript: "But is the Ministry a Profession?"	197
	An Ambiguous Word
	"Professional" More Positively Defined
	Institution and Ordained Ministry
	In Sum: Commitment and Competence
	Approaches to Pastoral Ethics
	Bibliography	211
	Index	217