Date

4-2022

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology (PhD)

Chair

Rachel Piferi

Keywords

EI, Pastoral Leadership, Emotional Intelligence, EQ-I

Disciplines

Psychology

Abstract

Within the last 25 years, the concept and application of emotional intelligence (EI) has experienced exponential growth within academic, organizational, and practitioner circles. While the benefits of EI development appear universal, EI application remains primarily absent from ministry settings and religious research. Prior to ministry implementation, the scriptural sustenance of key EI factors (EQ-I; self-perception, self-expression, interpersonal relationships, decision making, and stress management; MHS, 2011) was explored from the perspective of pastoral leaders to determine biblical alignment or discord. Implying a qualitative case study, interviews with eleven pastoral subjects revealed majority support for all five EI factors alongside the introduction of a sixth biblical factor. Ultimately, a biblical model of EI was created based on pastoral perceptions of emotional-social concepts within scripture. Implications for these findings suggest that a biblical model of EI could successfully address and improve the complex socio-emotional challenges associated with pastoral leadership.

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