A study was conducted of clergy involvement in the Boston school desegregation controversy of the mid-1970's. Data were collected from interviews with a random sample of 75 black and white Protestant and Catholic ministers in Metropolitan Boston. The research, as described in this paper, tests and lends support to the validity of a role reference system model for predicting patterns of clergy participation in desegregation controversies and other community issues. The model posits that if the self reference system conflicts with the membership reference system, then the nature of the professional reference system can be of critical significance as a determiner of what the minister decides to do. The study extends the body of research on the prophetic role of religion and provides another demonstration of the importance of reference groups in influencing behavior. The findings support the notion that the nature of the professional reference system can determine whether a minister acts to support school desegregation during community controversy. This paper also contains suggestions for increasing clergy participation in community issues and a discussion of reference group theory, role theory, and a proposed link between them. (Author/AM)