Biblical principles to inform policy on handling of cases of child sexual abuse.
Leviticus 5:1 If someone sins because he has heard a public call to testify and he is a witness or has seen or learned about it and he does not report it, then he will answer for his error.
Matthew 22:19 "Show me the tax coin.” They brought him a de·narʹi·us. 20 He said to them: “Whose image and inscription is this?” 21 They said: “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them: “Pay back, therefore, Caesar’s things to Caesar, but God’s things to God.”
Romans 13 Let every person be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. 2 Therefore, whoever opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will bring judgment against themselves. 3 For those rulers are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad. Do you want to be free of fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; 4 for it is God’s minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear, for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword. It is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath against the one practicing what is bad
Christians being subject to secular law in all cases where it does not contravene Gods law is fundamental to basic Christianity. "It bears the sword" means secular law is placed by God to effect justice and execute punishment for crimes. This authority is especially to be respected where a sin in the eyes of the church is also a crime in the eyes of the law. For a Christian organization to attempt to process crimes exclusively within the boundaries of its own authority ( to protect its reputation or to protect an individual adherent) is deeply presumptuous and inappropriate. If a church based on the teachings of Christ does not understand and respect the boundaries of its authority and repeatedly oversteps that authority it ceases to be "Christian" since not subscribing to the position relative to secular law as prescribed by Christ himself, that is " pay back, therefore, Caesar's things to Caesar". Conversely, in cases where a sin is not a crime in the eyes of the law it can be said to be within the authority of the Church to process.
Scripturally a sin can be forgiven if true repentance is shown and the consequences faced. The consequence of a sin that is also a crime is that the individual must submit to the process of secular law and accept any punishment determined appropriate by that law. This would be an evidence of repentance (Matthew 3:8). Similar to marriage, ratification by secular law is required by the Church to validate a civil union, due process with respect to a crime should be a requirement to validate a claim of repentance. If a Church sidesteps its responsibility to the law with respect to crimes committed by its adherents it stands in contravention of the principle above at Leviticus 5:1 and bears guilt along with the criminals it seeks to protect.
In view of these arguments, it should be fundamental to all Christian religious organizations that any crime its leaders or its individual members are made aware of will be reported to the proper authorities. This concept would seem to be obvious with respect to murder or theft but it becomes mysteriously incomprehensible in the case of child sexual abuse. This is no doubt because of the broader implications of this kind of crime being exposed within a community, while this is not an inconsiderable consideration an unwavering application of Biblical principles has been vaunted as (and actually is) the best protection for a community from dangers without and within.
The net result of any given policy derived from the teachings of the Christ is the ultimate proof of its legitimacy (Luke 7:35). Are predators or children better served by this policy? If the answer is, predators then the policy cannot be said to be based on the teachings of Christ and the policy needs to be adjusted until it reflects the sentiments of Jesus in Matthew 18:6 and the duty of care trusted to Peter in John 21:15-17. Also worthy of consideration is Ezekiel 34 where neglectful shepherds are vilified by God for the scattered and damaged condition of the flock.
In his novel "Demons" (1872) Russian author Dostoevsky, in a chapter called "Stavrogin's confession" that was cut by his editor but which is added at the end of some editions, correctly identified pedophilia as the worst sin a person can commit. I think that consciously or unconsciously most people know that this is true. Any organization that claims to be based on the teachings of the Bible has to reflect that knowledge in every fibre and filament of its structure.
Comments
Post a Comment