Abstract
M.A.
Ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church are also exposed to work stress, which can lead to burnout, as well as job dissatisfaction. The study (under consideration) was undertaken to examine the connection between Sense of Coherence, burnout, job satisfaction and intentions to resign from their positions as ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church. The participants were 91 ministers of the Synod of Southern Transvaal. Sense of Coherence was measured by using the Orientation to Life
Questionnaire (Antonovsky, 1987); burnout by using the Aangepaste iltgaslach Burnout Inventory (Odendal, 1984); and job satisfaction by using the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (Weiss, Dawes, England & Lofquist, 1967). The unique relationship between variables was clarified by doing a route analysis. The results indicate that: (a) ministers with a low Sense of Coherence are more inclined to suffer from burnout than those with a high Sense of Coherence; (b) when controlled for burnout there is no strong or statistically significant connection between Sense of Coherence and job satisfaction; (c) . burnout has a strong and statistically significant negative relationship with job satisfaction, and (d) burnout is a good predictor of pastors intension to resign. Because of its influence on burnout, Sense of Coherence
indirectly has a mildly strong influence on ministers' intention to resign. According to this, pastors with a high Sense of Coherence are less prone to burnout and therefore also less inclined to resign. Similarly, Sense of Coherence (via its influence on burnout) has a mildly strong positive influence on job satisfaction. Accordingly ministers with a high Sense of Coherence have higher levels of job satisfaction because this high Sense of Coherence protects them from burnout.