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In Reply to: Re: Pedophelia & the Church posted by Mr. Don on August 10, 2006 at 13:57:48:
I got extremely upset at Baptist theology Professor James Chancellor over some comments he made in Cornerstone Magazine on the issue of pedophilia in the church, because it was like he was totally denying the problem exists in evangelical & charismatic circles. He was all over the Roman Catholics about the problem, though, saying children raised in TFI were safer from sexual abuse than children growing up in Roman Catholic families.
Needless to say, he got a letter from me long before Rick's murder/suicide put him on the front line of Family apologists.
After losing several multi-million dollar lawsuits across the country, Catholic leadership requires that abuse allegations be reported to appropriate civil authorities. This practice, which appears to fly in the face of Biblical principles but doesn't really, puts Catholic kids at a much lower risk of abuse than kids in faith communities where there is a policy of forgiving the offender, hushing things up, and keeping these crimes hidden from secular authorities. Chancellor (and many other church leaders) simply do not understand the basic principles of risk reduction.
There's a very good book for the general public that church leaders might find helpful. It's called "Predators: Pedophiles, Rapists, and Other Sex Offenders : Who They Are, How They Operate, and How We Can Protect Ourselves and Our Children" by Anna C. Salter. The book has case studies and documentation that will really open your eyes to the insidious nature of this crime, particularly in churches.
I'm truly happy to hear that people in your faith community are opening up and talking about the problem. You made my day, Mr. Don.
