Abstract
This qualitative study was conducted to understand how Coptic Orthodox priests describe their experiences of fulfillment and/or stress with their work. While many Christian leaders such as pastors, reverends, and clergy helping to serve their church members are represented in the literature, there is limited research on the roles and experiences of the Coptic Orthodox priesthood serving their communities. The Coptic church has been around for centuries, and the church has a history of religious persecution. The research question was “how do Coptic Orthodox priests describe their experiences of fulfillment and/or stress with their work?” The research methodology used in this study was generic qualitative inquiry. There were ten male Coptic Orthodox priests interviewed for this study. These participants were serving in the ministry for over two years. The primary data analysis used for this generic qualitative study was theoretical analysis. The findings of the study indicated that the priests were stressed with administrative responsibilities and helping their congregants. Overall, they felt fulfilled with their ministry because of their social support, self-care practice, and strong relationship with God. Recommendations for future research includes are those who were invited but did not accept the calling and specifically recruited priests who identified as burnt out and the daily experiences of priests’ wives and children.
Recommended Citation
Salama, Dr. Martha
(2024)
"Describing the Experiences of Fulfillment and Stress in Coptic Orthodox Priests,"
Journal of Human Services: Training, Research, and Practice: Vol. 10:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
Available at:
https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/jhstrp/vol10/iss1/4
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