Conflict can be an all-too common part of parish life. Sometimes this may be physical, but more often in churches conflict is between particular people. It might also involve bullying. Your archdeacon or bishop is often a helpful person to support and advise you in the first instance.
There are a number of organisations that offer advice and training for clergy about dealing with conflict and conflict resolution. Bridge Builders run particularly helpful training courses, which a number of our clergy have attended and greatly benefitted from.
In addition, the following organisations and sites offer helpful resources:
- The Alban Institute
- John Truscott
- CPAS
- Peace Works
- St Ethelburga’s Centre for Reconciliation and Peace
It is important than incidents of physical conflict are reported to the appropriate people, which would normally be the police and also the archdeacon and rural dean.