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Recent research suggests that religious leaders' humility is crucial to their own psychological wellbeing as well as the wellbeing of the communities they lead, yet little is known about how humility is understood and cultivated by the leaders themselves. This qualitative study of 273 religious leaders from the Abrahamic faiths examines the diversity in their theological understandings of humility and describes the practices that they report are most helpful to their own cultivation of the virtue. The authors integrate practical theological and psychological perspectives as they discuss the types of humility and practices and explore their implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Religious leaders face numerous mental health challenges, and prior research suggests that some experience symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to work-related experiences. This study employed a diverse sample of 274 religious leaders to (a) qualitatively describe the types of work-related experiences they identify as particularly stressful or overwhelming, (b) assess the prevalence of PTSD symptoms associated with these experiences, and (c) test hypothesized associations between PTSD symptoms and narcissism. The study found that the stressful experiences reported typically involved relational conflict, having limited resources, or caring for people suffering. Over half of the sample endorsed symptoms that were above the cutoff for a clinical concern for PTSD, and PTSD symptoms were significantly associated with symptoms of both vulnerable narcissism and grandiose narcissism. Practical implications for the ongoing formation and support of religious leaders are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research suggests that humility is important for religious leaders' mental health and for the health of the communities they lead. There is evidence, however, that humility is particularly difficult for some leaders, and numerous dynamics within the role of religious leadership may run counter to humility. This qualitative study asked 273 diverse religious leaders to identify factors within their roles that challenged and facilitated humility for them. Thematic analysis of the responses revealed ways that religious leaders can cultivate humility within and despite complex pressures against it. Practical implications for the care and support of religious leaders are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]