Lutheran Pastors’ Pay Called Inadequate
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It’s no secret that clergy don’t take their jobs for the money, but a new report shows that more than half of Lutheran pastors are being paid even less than church guidelines suggest.
The survey of pastors in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America found an average salary of $45,838. The low pay is creating problems for retiring clergy, according to the church’s Board of Pensions. Because a portion of a pastor’s salary is designated for his or her retirement, low salaries mean low pensions.
A recent study by Duke University’s Pulpit and Pew Project found that clergy salaries continue to deter potential pastors.
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