case study answer ques relate to Kellys personal construct theory about 2.5 double spaced page
case study answer ques relate to Kellys personal construct theory about 2.5 double spaced page
“Philip the Priest”
Philip has been a priest in the Roman Catholic Church for almost 25 years. His religion has been important to him ever since he was a young child. He grew up in an Irish Catholic family that was involved in their parish and said grace before each meal as well as at bedtime. They went to church every Sunday and Philip was an altar boy. It seemed natural for him to become a priest. He was involved in his church, had a strong faith, and had an uncle who is a priest and a cousin who is a nun. His family looked highly on that occupation, and it seemed to be one of the most prestigious careers he could aspire to.
As he nears the 25th anniversary of his ordination, Philip reflects on the differences between members of the clergy and those who are not. He considers clergy members to have an incredibly important responsibility in guiding their followers spiritually. This responsibility weighs on him. Occasionally he is envious of this parishioners who do not have this duty, but then he remembers how fortunate he is to be one of those God called to be a religious leader. It helps to discuss this concern with other priests who understand and experience this feeling of obligation as well.
Philip also considers the things he had to give up as a Roman Catholic priest. He had to take a vow of chastity and is not allowed to marry. Not having sex has been difficult, especially when he was younger. He’s never known the love of a woman and found that keeping his vow of chastity was more difficult than keeping his vow of obedience to the bishop. Now that he is getting older that is not as much a concern. Philip comforts himself with the thoughts of the close friendships he has formed, the children of friends he has been able to enjoy, and the knowledge that he is doing God’s will.
However, leaders of other religious groups do not believe that being a clergy member means giving up family life or sex. These clergy members are not required to take the vows of chastity like Philip did. He is painfully aware of these differences and still believes that his requirements are the best way to serve God. Philip is also aware of a number of differences in the clergy within the Roman Catholic religion.
In recent years a number of priests and nuns have voiced opinions about changes they believe should be made within the church, such as the notion that the Catholic Church should allow women to become priests. Only men have been allowed to join the priesthood because of the widely accepted view that all 12 of Jesus’ apostles were men and the belief that the priest is the presence of Christ among the people, which only a man can do.
Today these reformers believe that women should also be allowed to become priests because of theological arguments and evidence that supports the idea that some of Jesus’ disciples were women. Some feminist theological research suggests that women were early missionaries and apostles. Reformers believe that changes like these will modernize the church by relying on early church traditions the encourage people to come back to the Roman Catholic religion. Philip disagrees with them. He is not a reformer and does not understand their reasoning.
One of the most disconcerting experiences Philip has had to adjust to was how people react to him when they learn he is a priest. Either people avoid him when they saw his collar, or if they interacted with him they were cautious about what they said. They were careful not to swear or offend him. He was aware of the change in people’s behavior that he evoked. This made forming relationships outside his order difficult, and this made him uncomfortable.
Sometimes he would be invited to parishioners’ homes for dinner. Philip enjoyed talking to the smaller children who would ask questions like, “Do you wear your collar when you go swimming?” He found that talking to the children and answering their questions at their level would often put him more at least with their parents. Philip liked to be able to take breaks from being a “holy man” and occasionally feel like one of a family.
address the following issues or questions as they relate to Kelly’s personal construct theory:
- What is the organization of Philip’s personal construct of the clergy?
- Does Philip’s clergy construct appear to be permeable? Why or why not?
- What is the sociality corollary? Find an example of it in the case study.
Rubric
| Criteria | Ratings | Pts | |||||
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This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome1. Provided a brief summary of the case study using APA format. |
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4.0 pts |
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This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome2. Answered questions at bottom of case study and included at least 3 citations using APA format. |
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4.0 pts |
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This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome3. Gave your personal reaction in the last section of your paper. |
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4.0 pts |
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This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome4. 2 full pages to 3 full pages long and written using APA format. |
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4.0 pts |
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This criterion is linked to a Learning Outcome5. Free of spelling and grammar errors. |
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4.0 pts |
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Total Points: 20.0 |
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