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The Practice and Experience of the Sabbath among Seventh-day Adventist Pastors

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Abstract

Clergy stress and burnout are concerns across denominational lines. But one response—encouraging Sabbath keeping among clergy—raises multiple issues for Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) pastors. This study examines the question: How do SDA pastors practice and experience the Sabbath? Using a phenomenological approach, the study sought a thick, in-depth description of Sabbath keeping. For the SDA pastors interviewed, the Sabbath was paradoxical, and contextual clues emerged as key factors in establishing boundaries between work and rest.

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Acknowledgments

The author would like to express his gratitude to Loren Townsend and Gerardo James de Jesús-Lopez, who provided substantive feedback on this article, and to Duane Bidwell for his encouragement of my writing this essay.

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Correspondence to Erik C. Carter.

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Carter, E.C. The Practice and Experience of the Sabbath among Seventh-day Adventist Pastors. Pastoral Psychol 62, 13–26 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-012-0482-8

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