Shaping Families

Sanctuary of Abuse

by Burton Buller

One hopes that among those who call themselves the people of God, a space safe from abuse, whether physical, psychological or sexual would exist. But it doesn’t. Statistics indicate that the church and its institutions fare no better than secular organizations on most counts.

It seems to infect the entire church structure. While evangelical pastors and church leaders abuse those over whom they have power and influence, the couples in their congregations end their marriages in significantly greater numbers than do atheists and agnostics. What’s that all about?

Churches are trying to catch up with their secular counterparts in combating these abuses. If you want to be a youth worker in many churches, you have to undergo a background check. Churches are busy creating anti-abuse policies to protect their children from their own parishioners. And when abuse occurs, the church is adept at stonewalling and denying justice. As Darrel in this week’s “Shaping Families” radio program found out.

So, is the church making progress in ending the abuse?

That depends. Certainly the church has been made aware of serious problems in its midst. Many are addressing these issues as best they can, usually looking to solutions emanating from the secular marketplace. But being the people of God is a mixed bag. Too bad that expectations as to the function of God’s people are so high. Maybe it’s time to lower the bar so we could all be a little more human, recognizing that the church is composed of a bunch of sinners who will act out their compulsions whether a pulpit is present or not.

If one expects nothing, one can be pleasantly surprised when someone acts as the face of God in our lives. Problem is one is as likely to find the face of God outside the community of faith as within.

It’s just the way God works, I suppose, trying to remind us that we really are no better as a group than anyone else.

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