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    Should Straying Pastors Be Restored To Ministry?

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    Building on categories first proposed by Marie Fortune - a pioneer in research on sexual exploitation by clergy - Trull said predators are people who actively seek opportunities to sexually abuse their prey. The predator is often a charismatic person who may play the part of a loving pastor but who abuses his position to manipulate vulnerable people.

    In contrast, wanderers tend to be vulnerable, needy people drawn to others with similar needs. Wanderers are often less successful personally and professionally than their peers, and they gravitate to people who will enhance their self-esteem. After crossing boundaries into inappropriate behavior, wanderers generally feel shame, remorse and regret, Trull said.

    “The wanderer may be a candidate for restoration. Predators don’t think they’ve done anything wrong,” Trull said. “Most predators are the type of people who think they are above the law and the rules don’t apply to them. ... They should never be in the ministry or in any vocation where they are with vulnerable people whom they can take advantage of.”

    Read more here at the Biblical Recorder Website...

    QUESTION:  What do you think?  Should sexual misconduct be grounds for permanent dismissal from the pastorate?  Should there be a difference between the way we view’wanderers’ vs. ‘predators’?

    When it comes to hiring church staff, some consider sexual misconduct to be an unpardonable sin, and many survivors of abuse agree. But others say it depends on which scarlet letter the minister wears: "W" for "wanderer" or "P" for "predator." Ethicist Joe Trull accepts the distinction between wanderers and predators. He explained the difference in a ministerial-ethics book he wrote with James Carter, former director of church-minister relations with the Louisiana Baptist Convention...

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    1. Snoop on Sun, July 22, 2007

      I just don’t know.  I think that there needs to be a third category, but I am not sure what it is. 


      The predator I understand, and the need for them to go away and never come back is huge.  The wanderer scares me as well, because it seems like they are nothing more than a less charismatic predator.  Granted this is just a snapshot of the personality types, but it would seem that while the predator is in ministry to act out on his need to control others, the wanderer is in ministry to have his needs met, and be made complete by people needing him and making him feel important.  The idea of both of these guys in ministry scares the crap out of me. 


      I wonder just whether either of these personality types are “candidates for restoration”.  It would seem that the dysfunction and need in both is similar, though manifested in different ways.  It would seem that the only hope for restoration for these two personality types is the grace of God.


      My real question after reading this is whether there isn’t a third personality type…  the guy that just plain screws up, and is repentant.  I am sure we have all met this type…  But how would this third type’s personality be described?

    2. Snoop on Sun, July 22, 2007

      ok, so I am an idiot.  I read the full article and realized that this is addressing abusive relationships, not inappropriate relationships. 


      If this is the case, I have a hard time with the restoration of those that have abused the office of pastor.  It will have to be some kind of amazing work of the holy spirit, with lots of evidence, for me to feel even somewhat comfortable with that idea…

    3. John Morris on Mon, July 23, 2007

      Talk about a fuzzy problem with no real right answer!

      So, do we err on the side of grace, or do we err on the side of justice? Would Paul lovingly restore an abusive Pastor whom he placed in one of the churches, or would he expel the person? Hard question. And, it is one I’m not too sure anyone can answer, due to the fact we’re on fuzzy moral ground here. If we go too far either way, we either nullify Grace, or we place others in the flock and the reputation of the church at risk if the person in question re-offends. Spiritual abuse can only happen when the abuser has no accountability. So, perhaps a reformed abuser can occupy some office of spiritual leadership as long as he is open and accountable to trusted and proven leaders who have the direct authority to instantly remove him from position if he starts displaying those tendencies again AFTER a lengthy and intense re-education process…I dunno…very hard stuff to come up with a solution to…

       

    4. Jan on Mon, July 23, 2007

      I think there is a definite difference between a predator and a wanderer.


      I think it’s impossible for a predator to return to ministry.  The very fact that the predator is unrepentant and feels justified in what he or she is doing, says it all.


      Someone who has shame and remorse you can work with.


      I do think there should be another category that I would call the repeat wanderer.  If this is something that keeps happening I think full restoration back into ministry is probably unappropriate.


      But for a person who strayed once, and maybe even was the victim of a predator, (plenty of those out there who are looking for a pastor to sin with) I think complete restoration should be our goal.

    5. Snoop on Mon, July 23, 2007

      Jan, I think that you and I feel the same way. 


      Reading the full article, I came to the realization that the terms were applied to abusers, people who manipulated their positions rather than those that strayed and had an inappropriate relationship… 


      The full article changed my view of the wanderer.  After reading it, I believe that the very shame and remorse that they feel is the root issue that fueled their abusive behaviors to begin with…  I think we have all met people who are in ministry not to pursue a calling, but to have their needs met, which is incredibly dangerous, and results in abuse in nearly every case.

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