Communio viatorum is a theological journal from Central European perspectives founded in 1958 by J. L. Hromádka and J. B. Souček, published by the Protestant Theological Faculty of Charles University in Prague three times a year.
Communio Viatorum seeks to promote research and scholarly debate in all theological disciplines. Since its foundation special attention has been paid to both biblical studies and Czech Protestant history. The journal is also interested in articles that reflect new accents within the field of theology as well as relevant challenges from neighbouring disciplines, developments in the Church worldwide as well as new moves within society. It seeks to promote an ongoing process of theological debate from a specific Central European Protestant background, but open to authors from all around the world and all denominations who wish to engage in such a conversation.
As of 2024, the journal Communio Viatorum has transitioned to an open-access publication, issued by Charles University Karolinum Press.
Articles published here are indexed in the ATLA Religion Database® and are included in the full-text ATLASerials® (ATLAS®) collection. They are also indexed and abstracted in the Web of Science – Arts and Humanities Citation Index® of Clarivate Analytics, in Scopus, in CEEOL, and in ERIH PLUS.
The previous journal homapage with an archive of published issues
COMMUNIO VIATORUM, Vol 67 No 3 (2025), 258–277
ArticleDie Transformation des pfarramtlichen Dienstes im postmodernen Kontext
[The Transformation of Pastoral Ministry in a Postmodern Context]
Ondřej Macek
DOI: https://doi.org/10.14712/30296374.2026.4
zveřejněno: 14. 04. 2026
Abstract
This study examines the transformation of parish ministry in the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (Českobratrská církev evangelická) from two perspectives: from the point of view of lay people’s expectations and from the point of view of pastors’ professional identity. Based on a quantitative cross-sectional survey conducted in 2023, the study analyzes the responses of 506 lay people and 109 clergy with the aim of identifying important trends in contemporary Protestant parish ministry. The results show a shift away from the traditional “universal” model toward specialized pastoral roles. Despite high satisfaction among both groups, the study identifies significant structural challenges, including administrative burdens, insufficient funding, and work-life balance issues. The study shows a convergence between the expectations of laypeople and the priorities of pastors, who emphasize preaching, spiritual care, and community building within the parish as the core tasks of pastors, but also points to emerging tensions regarding the availability of pastors, the role of church buildings, and changing expectations of pastors’ spouses. The study contributes to understanding current changes in Protestant pastoral care in a post-Christian European context and provides a solid empirical basis for strategic decisions by church leaders.
klíčová slova: Pastoral care; Protestant church; lay expectations; professional identity; church change; Czech Republic
Die Transformation des pfarramtlichen Dienstes im postmodernen Kontext is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
148 x 210 mm
vychází: 3 x ročně
cena tištěného čísla: 500 Kč
ISSN: 0010-3713
E-ISSN: 3029-6374
