PSYCHOSOCIAL HEALTH AND SPIRITUALITY OF THEOLOGY STUDENTS AND PASTORS OF THE GERMAN SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST CHURCH

We evaluated the differences in mental and physical health, work-related behavior and experience patterns, and the spiritual resources of Seventh-day Adventist pastors compared to theology students in Friedensau Adventist University in Germany Compared to norm samples, the physical health scores of theology students and pastors were significantly higher whereas the mental health scores were significantly lower Only 13.9% of pastors but 31.7% of theology students showed a healthy behavior and experience pattern, while 28.3% of pastors (14.6% of theology students) revealed a pattern that indicated they were at risk for burnout. Professional ambition and resistance to stress were higher in theology students than in pastors. Pastors and theology students with the healthy pattern scored higher in physical and mental health, as well as in selected scales of religiosity and spirituality, than those with the pattern indicating risk for burnout. The results emphasize the need to teach theology students health promotion and effective coping strategies while at university, and also to integrate these issues in the professional training of pastors.