Clergy & Religion Research Collaborative
The Duke Clergy & Religion Collaborative
The Duke Clergy & Religion Research Collaborative is a partnership of the Duke Clergy Health Initiative (CHI) and the Duke Religion and Social Change Lab (RaSCL). We share data to develop fresh insights, smart conversations, and grounded resources that support the diverse needs of clergy and faith leaders across lifespans and shifting cultural landscapes.
Making research matter - because you matter.
Clergy Health Initiative
Ministry is a complex profession – full of purpose and meaning. However, the challenges of ministry, combined with the need to prioritize their sacred calling, can prevent pastors from tending to their own well-being. We believe congregations and communities flourish when pastors have permission and tools to foster their physical, emotional, and spiritual health. To that end, we identify, test, and promote evidence-based practices to support the well-being of clergy.
Religion & Social Change Lab
The United States is undergoing profound religious change. We believe churches, seminaries, denominations, and allied organizations that understand the impacts of these cultural shifts will be better able to adapt and thrive in the future. To that end, we use the tools of social science to deepen understanding, spark conversations, and develop resources on the training and formation of faith leaders and communities who contribute to the common good.
Fresh Insights. Smart Conversations. Grounded Resources.
Using data-informed insights, we help clergy, seminaries, and religious leaders gain perspective, thrive amidst stress, and evolve and adapt with cultural change.
We offer evidence-based recommendations for clergy well-being, academic programming for ministerial formation, and broader conversations about the future of theological education.
Our resources provide practical strategies for building resilience, cultivating community, and engaging in God's work with renewed creativity and insight.
For more information about our offerings, please contact us.
Recent Collaborations
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Students and faculty presented research on the social, political, and health impacts of polarization on Mainline clergy. "By digging deeper into these changes, we can learn valuable insights to navigate the future successfully," said David Eagle, director of the Religion and Social Change Lab. Read the story.
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"SABBATH: An Ancient Practice Meets the Modern World" examines our collective history, our health practices, and our response to God's invitation and the search for a more sustainable way of life. Watch the film here.