Confronting Clergy Sexual Abuse

In January, a synod bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America resigned amid allegations of sexual misconduct in a case that has shocked the denomination.

He is the most prominent ELCA pastor to face public allegations regarding inappropriate sexual conduct by clergy, according to The Lutheran magazine, which published a special report on clergy sexual abuse in its July 17 edition. But the case is just one of many involving similar allegations against clergy in the denomination.

The problem of clergy sexual misconduct is by no means confined to one denomination. A study released by the Park Ridge Center for the Study of Health, Faith, and Ethics in Chicago last year found that one in 10 U.S. clergy has had an affair with a parishioner. And last summer, The Los Angeles Times reported that 2,000 cases of clergy sexual abuse were pending in the nation's courts.

Most denominations have been slow to confront the reality of clergy sexual abuse in their churches. However, if measures passed at church conventions this past summer are any indication, that may be changing.

The Presbyterians adopted a strict policy that prohibits sexual contact between clergy and parishioners or church employees, whatever the circumstance. And they are also urging congregations to set up "sexual misconduct response teams" in order to investigate complaints quickly and notify the appropriate authorities when necessary.

Other denominations are just at the point of officially recognizing the problem and taking first steps toward addressing it. Calling clergy sexual exploitation and harassment "abuses of trust" and a "violation of the baptismal covenant," the Episcopal Church created a committee to study the problem and propose standards of conduct and policy procedures in such cases at the denomination's next general convention in 1994.

At its general synod meeting this past summer, the United Church of Christ condemned sexual harassment among its members and called on the church to respond with compassion to both victims and accused offenders.

And some churches are beginning to look outside their circles for help in dealing with clergy sexual abuse, including cooperation with civil authorities. Religious News Service reports that at least two states­ -- Minnesota and Washington­ -- have laws requiring background checks of clergy for past sexual misconduct.

One observer acknowledged to RNS that the law gets "close to the line" separating church and state but explained that it doesn't tell churches what to do if they find such evidence. "It simply requires the employer to make the investigations and then deal with it internally," says Lee Boothby, general counsel of Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

Judy Coode assisted with research.