by Obianuju Mbah, Christian Today
The Church of England has published findings from the final survey of its decade long Living Ministry project, offering the most comprehensive picture yet of what helps — and hinders — clergy as they seek to thrive in their work.
The final panel report, Lord, for the Years, released on December 1, draws on the experiences of 500 clergy who responded to the study’s fifth wave of research.
Since 2017, over 1,000 priests commissioned in 2006, 2011, 2015, or who began their ministerial preparation in 2016, have taken part in the study.
The latest publication not only sets out new data from this year’s survey but also traces how clergy wellbeing has evolved over nearly a decade.
Researchers examined five interconnected dimensions of clergy wellbeing: health of body and mind, relational networks, spiritual and ministerial fulfilment, economic security, and engagement in the Church’s communal life.
The programme stresses that wellbeing is a shared responsibility — one shaped both by personal resilience and by the environments clergy serve in.
Across interviews, focus groups and surveys, four pressures have persisted year after year. Clergy described burnout, feelings of isolation, diminished morale, and ongoing financial strain.
Covid-19 sharply intensified many of these burdens, especially for incumbents, whose mental health and relationships have not returned to pre-pandemic levels.
Among this year’s respondents, 62% rated their overall health as good or excellent, while 9% said it was poor.
Around 29% reported symptoms consistent with probable or possible depression.
Two in five felt isolated in their ministry context, while around one in 10 (11%) said they struggled financially.
Incumbents consistently reported weaker financial and mental wellbeing than other groups — a trend recorded before the stipend and pension uplift unveiled in 2025.
New questions on burnout were able to shed more light on some of the causes.