The recent intensification of sexual abuse by members of the clergy hasbrought to the surface that age-old question of a double standard ofmorality, one for clergy and another for laity. Put another way, shouldmore be expected from a person of the cloth than the general populationwithin faith communities?
The double standard issue is not limited tosexual abuse, but may surface in such common stories as a pastor caughtwith Internet pornography on his office computer, or one found to havebeen engaged in an adulterous relationship, or one guilty ofembezzlement. Certainly, compared with the general population, pastorsare in the minority when it comes to impropriety. Their given roles asmoral leaders does, however, bring undue exposure when misconductbecomes known.
The question of double standards is nothingnew, even though recent settlements of clergy abuse cases have broughtthe issue once again into the limelight. The fact that young Timothywas admonished to "be an example to believers in speech and conduct,"would lead one to conclude that even in the infancy of the church thequestion of exemplary behavior by those set aside for pastoralleadership was at issue (I Timothy 4:12). The Reformation itself wasnot so much about theology, but morals among clergy or lack thereof.Some priests were living in open relationships with women and somechurch historians believe the pope himself may have fathered children.
Sexual abuse has cost the Roman Catholic Church in the U.S. more than$1.5 billion since 1950, with some of the biggest payouts coming fromthe Diocese of Orange, California, in 2004, and the Archdiocese ofBoston in 2003. (Associated Press, Dec 1, 2006). Sexual misconduct isnot exclusively a Catholic problem. Renowned televangelists andmega-church pastors have lost religious "empires" when the dualstandards they were living were discovered. One study found that 12percent of the 300 Protestant clergy surveyed admitted sexual relationswith a parishioner (R. A. Blackmon, unpublished Ph.D. dissertation,Fuller Theological Seminary, 1984).
Pastors are in a uniquerole in terms of trust, charisma, patriarchal privilege, and power.They are often viewed as "God's representative", whose authority andactions are above reproach. Concomitant with the position is a sense oftrustworthiness and moral admiration that may be embellished bypersonal charisma and charm. But violating boundaries of morality, inwhatever form, by pastors is not good and must be addressed by those inauthority. Failure to do so only further erodes the moral authority ofthe church itself. If the church does not monitor itself, who will?
People do have a right to look to their pastor for moral leadership.Pastors are in glass houses and people do take note of their actions aswell they should. Part of the vow of ordination is to live an exemplarylife. If one is going to "talk the talk," s/he must also "walk thewalk".
At the same time, there can be no rejoicing when apastor falls. The failure of one is the failure of all, just as thepain of one is the pain of all. In a larger sense, such failure notonly brings horrific hurt to a parish, but to the greater churchitself. Indeed, the Body of Christ is hurt.
Having said that,there must also be no double standard for healing and restoration whena pastor does fall. Pastors are human, and pastors, like anyone else,make mistakes. The same grace offered any child of God who has fallen,must also be extended to pastors. The message of grace is not one ofcondemnation, but one of redemption. There is life beyond a fall. Jesussaid it perfectly, "Go and sin no more."
(Rev. Les Wicker isSenior Pastor at First Congregational Church of Naples, Temporarilymeeting at Pelican Marsh School 10:00 a.m.. Call 293-5210, or e-mailleswicker@aol.com.)
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Hegemony: The authority, dominance, and influence of one group, nation, or society over another
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