Reading and proclaiming the Birth Narratives from Luke and Matthew: A study in empirical theology amongst curates and their training incumbents employing the SIFT method

Abstract

Drawing on Jungian psychological type theory, the SIFT method of biblical hermeneutics and liturgical preaching suggests that the reading and proclaiming of scripture reflects the psychological type preferences of the reader and preacher. This thesis is examined amongst two samples of curates and training incumbents (N = 23, 27), serving in one Diocese of the Church of England, who completed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Firstly, the narrative of the shepherds from Luke was discussed by groups organised according to scores on the perceiving process. In accordance with the theory, sensing types focused on details in the passage, but could reach no consensus on the larger picture, and intuitive types quickly identified an imaginative, integrative theme, but showed little interest in the details. Secondly, the narrative of the massacre of the infants from Matthew was discussed by groups organised according to scores on the judging process. In accordance with theory, the thinking types identified and analysed the big themes raised by the passage (political power, theodicy, obedience), whilst the feeling types placed much more emphasis on the impact that the passage may have on members of the congregation mourning the death of their child or grandchild.

Reading and proclaiming the Advent call of John the Baptist: An empirical enquiry employing the SIFT method

“…The analogy is with human handedness where most people develop their skills with one hand, to the comparative neglect of the other (cf. Francis & Smith 2013).…”

“…Thus, dominant sensing shapes the practical person, dominant intuition shapes the creative and imaginative person, dominant thinking shapes the strategic and logical person, and dominant feeling shapes the caring and humane person (cf. Francis & Smith 2013).…”

“…In addition to distinguishing between two perceiving functions (sensing or intuition) and two judging functions (feeling or thinking), these measures also distinguish between two orientations (introversion or extraversion) and two attitudes towards the outer world (judging or perceiving) (cf. Francis & Smith 2013).…”

Introverts and Extraverts Reflecting on the Experience of Parish Ministry: Conversation Between Training Incumbents and Curates

“…A significant contribution to the application of psychological type theory for understanding the dynamics of clergy was made by Oswald and Kroeger (1988) in their book, Personality type and religious leadership. More recently a series of empirical studies conducted among clergy has illuminated the connections between individual differences in psychological type and a number of areas of clergy practice and experience, including: ministry styles (Francis & Payne, 2002;Fawcett, Francis, & Robbins, 2011), preaching styles (Francis, 2010;Francis & Jones, 2011;Francis, 2012a, Francis, 2012b, Francis 2013Francis & Smith, 2013), and work-related psychological health (Francis, Wulff, & Robbins, 2008;Francis, Robbins, Kaldor, & Castle, 2009;Robbins & Francis, 2010;Brewster, Francis, & Robbins, 2011;Francis, Gubb, & Robbins, 2012;Robbins, Francis, & Powell, 2012;Francis, Payne, & Robbins, 2013.…”

Go and Observe the Sower: Seeing Empirical Theology at Work

“…These studies have examined the feeding of the five thousand in Mark 6: 34-44 (Francis, 2010) 8-16 (Francis & Smith, 2013). These empirical studies found the predicted differences in sensing, intuition, thinking and feeling readings of the same text.…”