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Model for Congregational Response
A Model for Congregational Response
Author - Peggy Halsey
March 2001*
In thee, O God, I have taken refuge...be
a rock of refuge for me, where I may ever find safety at thy call...
Psalm 71:1-3
Increasingly, congregations are asking for
assistance in responding to situations such as:
- a long-time member of a church has been
convicted of child molestation and is in prison; the church is
wondering what they need to do in order to be prepared for the
member=s release;
- a pastor, made aware of the presence of a
recently-released child sex offender in the neighborhood, has invited
the offender to church and is startled to discover that members of the
congregation are disturbed and questioning the pastor=s judgment;
- a congregation learns that one of its
members is listed on a sex offender site on the Internet; rumors are
flying, but no one is willing to seek out facts and explore
implications.
The church as a place of hospitality is a
deeply held value, and one that provides the impetus for much of our
work for justice. Anguish results when this value comes in conflict with
other deeply held values, such as the church as sanctuary, as a place of
safety. We embrace the Gospel's mandate to protect "the least of these"
particularly children and vulnerable adults. We recognize the need for
naming versus denial, for saying that sexual abuse is sin and that
protecting children must take precedence over any embarrassment or
hesitation at confronting realities that may be painful for those who
are part of our church community.
In addition to this theological perspective,
there are psychological and social factors that are important for
churches to consider. Numerous studies in recent years point to an
extremely low likelihood that pedophiles can or will change. Without
extensive professional treatment, virtually all child sexual offenders
will re-offend. Repentance, prayer and pastoral support can be crucial
elements when combined with life-long treatment, but, in themselves,
they offer little hope of changing the behavior of perpetrators.
Two additional factors may help us stay clear
about what must be done in these difficult situations. One is the
necessity to focus on behaviors and not on character (i.e., we are not
saying the perpetrator is a bad person, but that his or her abusive
behaviors are harmful, even sinful, and cannot be tolerated). The other
is the knowledge that every congregation has in its membership persons
who have been abused, whether by family members or acquaintances or
strangers. Their sense of the church as a place where they can heal will
be destroyed unless they are assured that safety measures have been put
firmly in place for them and their children and for the children of the
church and the community.
The presence of a convicted offender in the
church community is an exceptional circumstance, and warrants measures
that are unusual in a place we treasure in part for its openness and
welcome. In the face of likely resistance to a public disclosure, we
need to remember that the offender=s status is already public, since
there has been a conviction. Secrecy is dangerous, putting potential
victims at higher risk. A carefully constructed and openly negotiated
covenant between the offender and the church community has the best
chance of achieving a "win-win" solution, allowing us to reduce the risk
of abuse at the same time we offer the church's ministry to all who seek
it.
Elements of a Congregational Response
Education and awareness
A church that has had regular education and
training events on sexual and domestic violence and on child abuse is
much better prepared to move quickly on developing procedures when the
presence of a convicted offender is made known. At least annually,
every congregation should sponsor an adult education series or forum,
utilizing the expertise of professional service providers in the
community or the excellent denominational and/or ecumenical resources
that are available.
Child sexual abuse prevention policies
and procedures
The General Conference of the United
Methodist Church has called on every local church to develop a policy
and specific procedures to reduce the risk of child sexual abuse in
its ministries and facilities. Some annual conferences have a trained
team ready to work with churches on the development of such policies
and procedures. A manual, Safe Sanctuaries, outlines steps and offers
sample policies and procedures.
Specific procedures for situation where
perpetrator is present:
A convicted sex offender who wishes to be
part of a church community, whether one he or she has attended for
some time or a new one, should expect to have conditions placed upon
his or her participation. This can best be done through the
development of a written covenant, signed by the offender and by
church officials, preferably by both the pastor and the chairperson of
the Church Council (or other administrative body of the church).
The covenant should begin with a clear
statement of the role of the church as "sanctuary," with appropriate
Biblical reference(s). Immediately following the theological
introduction should be a clear statement to the perpetrator that
"abusive behavior is a choice and we care enough about you to hold you
accountable for it." Following are some suggested guidelines, to be
adapted or added to as the particular situation merits.
- As part of your growth and penitence, you
shall prepare and deliver written acknowledgments and apologies for
the pain caused directly or indirectly by your actions. At the very
least, you shall address these statements to your victims, their
families, your own family and the members and supporters of this
church. (Requests for forgiveness shall not be included). This will
become part of an open letter to the congregation, informing them of
your presence and of the conditions of your participation.
- We expect you to comply fully with all
restrictions and requirements placed upon you as a result of any
legal actions.
- You shall continually participate in a
professional counseling program, specifically addressing your
abusive behaviors, for the entire time you participate in this
church community. We strongly suggest that you continue such
counseling for life.
- You will not accept any leadership or
representational position within or on behalf of this church.
- The Church Council will identify at least
two "covenant partners" for you. They will be adults, at least one
of whom will be of the same gender as yours. They will not be
related to you.
- You may participate in worship in the
sanctuary and in the adult church school class of your choice. You
will use the most direct route from the parking lot to the main
entrance to these facilities, not passing through any other parts of
the church buildings. At any other time, your sole access to church
facilities is limited to the most direct route from the parking lot
through the main entrance to the church office only. Any other
participation or access will require prior authorization and
accompaniment by one of your covenant partners.
- You may not use restroom facilities in
the church buildings. Should an emergency arise, you will be
responsible for getting one of your covenant partners to accompany
you.
- At church-sponsored functions for
families, you may attend with, but at no time leave the immediate
proximity of, your family or one of your covenant partners.
- At no time shall you deliberately place
yourself in or remain in any location in or around the church
facilities which would cause undue distress to others. (This
guideline prohibits you from being in or near the library, nursery,
preschool, elementary, junior high or high school areas of the
facilities for any reason whatsoever).
- At least twice each calendar year, and as
otherwise requested, you shall meet with and report to the church
council regarding your status of adherence to these guidelines.
- If you should decide to relocate your
membership (or substantially attend) another congregation, the
church council will seek to inform the leadership of that
congregation of the conditions of these guidelines.
- Before the covenant is finalized, the
church's legal counsel should be asked to review it to be sure that
it does not put the church at legal risk. The offender should show
the document to his or her parole or probation officer, and have
that person initial a copy for the file.
Care and healing for the congregation
- Outside professional intervention should
be arranged for the congregation, in order to deal with the range of
emotions, dynamics and fallout that will be inevitable. Separate
sessions for adults, youth and children are recommended.
- In the midst of dealing with this
situation, additional disclosures of past, and possibly current,
abuse are almost certain. Church leadership should anticipate this,
understand it as a step in the road to healing and be prepared to
deal with it.
Conclusion
Any congregation that enters into this type of
covenant with a convicted sex offender must take it very seriously.
Monitoring of the covenant is a permanent responsibility. After a few
years, there may be a tendency to ease the level of vigilance, or even
to let the covenant lapse. Everything that is known about child sexual
offenders suggests that such a move could put the community's children
at immediate risk, as well as leave the offender open to the possibility
of false allegations. Whenever there is a change of church leadership,
particularly a pastoral change or a new church council chair, the
covenant should be formally renewed, with new signatures. Any changes to
the covenant, or revisions of its language, should be discussed
thoroughly in and acted upon by the church council. If a covenant
partner becomes unavailable, he or she should be immediately replaced by
action of the church council. When new members join the church, the
covenant should be carefully explained. They will hear about it anyway,
and it is far better for it to be dealt with openly, factually and with
opportunity for questions and reflection. Inevitably, some persons will
view the conditions of the covenant as too severe and others as too lax,
in that it allows the perpetrator to return to the congregation at all.
Any tendency to uneasiness at the perceived harshness of the covenant
should be balanced by a reminder of the church's primary responsibility
to protect children and vulnerable adults. In order to welcome a
perpetrator into a church's fellowship, the church can and must say
clearly, "These are the conditions of accountability under which you are
welcome."
Peggy Halsey
March 2001
For additional resources see
Called to be a Safe Place: Addressing Sexual
Misconduct in Our Church.
The idea of a covenant and some of the
guidelines have been adapted with permission from "When the Abuser is
Among Us: One Church's Response to a Perpetrator" by Carol J. Adams,
printed in Working Together, Volume 14, No. 3, Center for the
Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence (see footnote 1 for
information on contacting the Center).
This document is intended to be a helpful
theologically based tool for United Methodist congregations that face
the challenge of how to show Christian hospitality to perpetrators of
serious sexual abuse, as Jesus would call us to do. It is not intended
to and does not set a standard of care for how churches should or should
not respond, nor does it provide legal advice. The services of a
competent legal advisor always should be sought in connection with these
issues. It also does not presume a secular legal duty owed by a church
to any persons, nor should it be used to show, establish or prove any
duty or standard of care. |
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