Drivers of and the current church stand on infidelity among the clergy in the church of the province of Uganda

Abstract

The Church of the Province of Uganda is one of the most well-positioned churches as far as inculcating good morals, leading people to salvation, and ensuring optimal spirituality. However, the achievement of the five marks of the mission of the Church, in totality, largely depends on having efficient and exemplary clergy. Such an ideal situation in the Church ought to be maintained at all costs, with the implication that its antagonists have to be prevented or significantly minimized. The antagonists in this case are many things that can significantly dent the trust that members of the Church of the Province of Uganda can have in their leaders. Among the many possible variables that can dent trust in the church, there is possibly none as concerning as infidelity among the clergy, given its propensity to discredit the church of the province of Uganda as a whole. Worryingly, although infidelity among church leaders has been quite a long-standing vice in history, there is ample evidence indicating that even in the church of the province of Uganda, it has persisted and could be on the rise.

The purpose of this study was to explore the drivers of and the current Church stand on infidelity among the clergy in the Church of the Province of Uganda. This study adopted a constructivist research philosophy and, hence, a case study exploratory design, targeting ordained clergy in the Anglican Province of Uganda, whose sample size was determined using data saturation. A census of all the dioceses in the province (37 dioceses) was made, and the clergy along with key informants in each diocese were purposefully sampled. Data was collected using focus group discussions and key informant interviews and captured using focus group discussions and key informant interview guides, along with digital voice recording. The collected data was analyzed thematically, using an inductive approach. Four characterizations of clergy who engage in infidelity were revealed, one of which was salvation status, duration in the ministry, numerous connections with church leadership, and non-satisfaction with sex in marriage. The intrapersonal drivers of infidelity among clergy in the church of the province of Uganda included not being truly saved, familiarization with God, engagement in risky counseling sessions, the tendency to always leave one’s wife behind whenever one goes for ministry, and low moral commitment to the church cause.

The interpersonal drivers of infidelity among clergy in the Church of the Province of Uganda are three in number, and they include familial relations with church leaders, collegial influence, and dissatisfaction with sexual needs by wives of the clergy. The institutional drivers of infidelity among clergy in the Church of the Province of Uganda were the most reported; the exploration of what the current Church stand on infidelity among the clergy revealed that the church had no explicit stand on the issue.

Clergy in the Church of the Province of Uganda who engage in infidelity are those who are not saved (not showing fruits of the holy spirit in their daily lives), those who have been clergy for more than five years, and those with connections with church leadership. There are intrapersonal, interpersonal, and institutional drivers of infidelity among the clergy in the church of the province of Uganda, but, whereas all three are important, it is evident that intrapersonal and institutional drivers take more precedence compared to the other one (interpersonal). The church of the province of Uganda has no official stand on infidelity among clergy in the province.

The study proposed that to minimize and/or prevent the incidence of infidelity among clergy in the Church of the Province of Uganda, the following evidence-based solutions are suggested: There is a need for the directorate of mission, evangelism, and outreach, along with the respective bishops of each diocese, to organize staff development programs for clergy in the church of the province of Uganda, focused on rejuvenating and rekindling the faith and spirit of all clergy, given that some of them are no longer in salvation, as the Bible defines it.