Crowded pulpits: Observations and explanations of the clergy oversupply inthe Protestant churches, 1950-1993

This paper examines the supply of clergy relative to members and churches i n fourteen denominations from 1950-1993. rt finds that while in general, me mbership is declining and the number of churches is remaining relatively st able, the number of clergy continues to increase producing a situation of l abor over supply. The paper considers explanations that locate the cause of declining occupational prestige and over supply on the entry of women into the clergy profession. However, it shores that the oversupply problem pred ated the entry of women into ordained occupations. This pattern supports la bor queuing explanations based on the work of Reskin and Roos. Looking at a subset of these denominations in 1983 and 1993, the study also seeks to un cover the consequences of the labor surplus and finds that one result of th is over supply has been a dramatic increase in the percentage of clergy wor king in non-parish ministries. Various explanations of this shift are brief ly examined.