PREACHERS IN PURGATORY

Warfare, declared or otherwise, between a minister and his congregation, is not only a fact of ministerial life but one of the most dreaded crises of the ministry. In addition to the personal ruin that it may visit upon the innocent minister and the havoc that it may cause in dividing a community against itself, it is a cause of grave scandal outside of the church. Yet, such conflicts appear with seasonal regularity and, despite the best intentions, they often erupt into causes celebres of national interest. Preachers in Purgatory is a study of such phenomena. The author, by means of dozens of case histories, illustrates the causes of intermural conflict, and the ways in which the minister may either avoid or meet such crises. Though the reader initially may be dismayed at the author's pontifical style, the worth of his material and the care with which it is organized are more than sufficient to compensate for stylistic failings. The book is intended for, and may be highly recommended to, ministers of all denominations.