depression
I was not suprised to hear at the recent Save the Parish conference that a third of incumbents show symptoms of depression and forty percent report chronic loneliness.
exhibiting signs of clinical depression 20-30 Churches in new mega-benefices with few clergy 78% Churchwardens would resign if anyone would take their place The Church has total endowments of £17 billion and spends £653m a year.
What I will bring to the General Synod I have seen much poverty and depression in the diocese and have an understanding of the national north-south divide.
Nearly a third report symptoms of depression, and even more report loneliness and a sense that they are not helped by leadership.
Clergy wellbeing The Church of England’s ‘Living Ministry Research 2025’ reveals that 35% of clergy show signs of possible mild or clinical depression and 40% feel isolated.
Within my own life and ministry, I have had periods of depression which have been exacerbated by the loneliness and isolation of the role.
How can it be right that about 30% of clergy suffer from depression and 40% from chronic loneliness?
When I was 21, I reached the stage where I was unable to work, struggling with depression, and I interrupted my studies, spending the next 18 months as an in-patient, undergoing psychotherapy.
In 2025, more priests resigned than retired, 379 against 278, my own priest among them – 35% of incumbents suffer depression, and only 3.9% regard national or diocesan leadership as a source of hope.
Forced back to the UK by my visa, I spent too long unemployed, and had to take work in a call centre, developing depression.
Large rural benefices, combining a dozen or more widely spread parishes are a recipe for loneliness, depression and burnout if the only ministry resource is a single priest.
Close members of my family have suffered from depression, and I have suffered from cancer and a heart attack.
Hence clergy life is tougher than ever - 35% of incumbents exhibit symptoms of depression, 40% of clergy experience chronic illness (Living Ministry Survey, 2025).
Rather I want to help tackle the narrative that isolation, depression, burnout, hopelessness and despair are normal parts of faithful ministry.
The 2025 Living Ministry survey found symptoms of depression among 29% of active clergy and 35% of incumbents, while 40% experience chronic loneliness.
Far too many report: depression
The Church of England’s latest Living Ministry research found that 35% of the clergy surveyed showed signs of possible, mild or clinical depression.