Clergy and Cultural Intelligence: A Study of the Foundational Capacity of Clergy to Function Effectively as Multicultural Leaders in Multiethnic Communities Within the Baptist and Uniting Church Denominations in South Australia

Author: David Turnbull

Turnbull, David, 2019 Clergy and Cultural Intelligence: A Study of the Foundational Capacity of Clergy to Function Effectively as Multicultural Leaders in Multiethnic Communities Within the Baptist and Uniting Church Denominations in South Australia, Flinders University, College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences

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Abstract

Immigration, particularly from the majority world, is producing demographic change within the Australian Christian community. With the presence of diaspora believers within denominations and local congregations, clergy are now facing ministry in multiethnic environments. The clergy’s ministry requires theological and intercultural engagement capacity to consider and realize a vision of multicultural church. This thesis investigates the perceived gap between the multicultural church vision and the actual reality in the ministry settings. Are clergy a contributing factor to this gap through the delivery capacity weaknesses in the skillsets, attitudes and behaviours required for intercultural engagement? An initial step in assessing clergy’s capacity to be culturally intelligent multicultural leaders is to investigate their intercultural engagement background, knowledge and attitudes. Cultural intelligence, a business world construct, provided the conceptual background, especially because of its theological connectivity. Numerous studies provide precedents for this research approach and demonstrate the value of building capacity for appropriate intercultural engagement. Clergy from two South Australian denominations were analysed through a 45-item questionnaire in areas such as cross-cultural experience, perspectives of the multicultural church vision and the 20-item CQ Scale instrument.

This research project produced four key findings. First, the clergy’s documented cross-cultural experience in six key categories proved to be mixed and diverse individually. The majority report some intercultural engagement, but only a minority report broad, substantial cross-cultural experience. Second, the clergy’s perspectives of a multicultural church vision revealed a supportive majority with weaknesses, especially concerning the biblical foundation. Third, the majority of clergy self-assessed their perceived levels of cultural intelligence to be in the moderate range. Higher perceived levels of cultural intelligence were evident amongst those under 50, those who had postgraduate qualifications and those with more recent ministry experience. Fourth, the study identified possible influential cross-cultural experience variables and beliefs related to the multicultural church vision that contribute to the development of clergy’s cultural intelligence. The significant experiential factors include being multilingual, participating in a multicultural church context, engaging in post-ministry training related to intercultural engagement and living overseas for more than three months. The significant beliefs include clergy learning a language, that God intended the local church to be truly multicultural in its life and practice, and that multicultural church is a challenge in the 21st century.

This study highlights a gap between the ideal of the multicultural church vision and clergy’s delivery capacity for intercultural engagement and reveals a platform exists to build and deepen capacity. Denominations can become increasingly more culturally intelligent through intentionally building more capacity amongst their clergy through improved recruitment processes, promotion of language learning, provision of suitable cross-cultural experiences within a theological reflective environment, and relevant educational programs and activities that integrate the multicultural church vision and cultural intelligence. Clergy can then realise a vision of multicultural church, allow diasporic communities to contribute healthily, and function effectively in the transforming workplace with the benefits of wellbeing and job satisfaction.

Keywords: Cultural Intelligence; Multiethnic Church; Multicultural Church: Multiracial Church; Clergy: Uniting Church in Australia; Baptist Churches of South Australia

Subject: Theology thesis

Thesis type: Doctor of Philosophy
Completed: 2019
School: College of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences
Supervisor: Rev Professor Andrew Dutney