Authors

• Myllys, Riikka (Church Council)

Keywords

church, job satisfaction, religious behaviour, religious personnel, spiritual life, well-being (society), workloads

Abstract

The survey focused on the spiritual well-being of persons working for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and what kind of support they had received for maintaining it.

Questions covered satisfaction with their job in general, coping with workload, and their personal spiritual background. The respondents were also asked how important faith was to them, what was their most important spiritual community, and to what extent they felt they had had support for their spiritual life and from where. Further questions investigated how often they read the Bible or other spiritual literature, how often they prayed or participated in worship services, in connection with work or otherwise. The importance of certain activities or issues to them (e.g. prayer and meditation, helping others, human rights issues) was charted, as well as with whom the respondents discussed spiritual issues and from where they sought help in time of crisis or anxiety.

The survey also investigated changes in the respondents' spirituality and factors influencing it. A number of questions covered the ways in which the Church as an employer had supported their spiritual life and what kind of support they wished for.

Background variables included the respondent's age group, gender, type of job, urban or rural environment, diocese, number of years working for the Evangelical Lutheran Church and number of years working for other employers.