The 2015 film Spotlight, tells the story of a team of journalists investigating and exposing the pervasive and systemic child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. The Boston Globe investigation on which it was based, brought the atrocities of child sexual abuse (CSA) in churches to the forefront. A 2019 study conducted by LifeWay Christian Resources noted that 1 in 10 protestants under age 35 have left a church over how they handled a case of sexual abuse. This issue persists across denominations today.
At Palmer, we are committed to acknowledging the presence of injustice, particularly when it occurs within church walls. Last month, Palmer students, as well as faculty and local church leaders, gathered in Baird Library for an evening with Rev. Dr. Jay Kieve, Cooperative Baptist Fellowship’s Abuse Prevention and Response Advocate.
Dr. Kieve’s presentation, focused within the context of Baptist polity, was framed by Jesus’ words in Matthew 18, “If any of you put a stumbling-block before one of these littles ones who believe in me...”. This text is often used to warn against false teaching. Yet, one might wonder if the lifetime implications of sexual abuse within a religious community are a stumbling block of even greater harm.
Dr. Kieve defined abusive actions as, “when someone uses their power over another person to gratify their own desires. Abuse lacks consent, autonomy, and empathy.” He shared that 91% of CSA offenses are committed by someone the victim’s family knows and trusts. It is important that the entire faith community be aware and vigilant of common manipulation/grooming tactics. CSA is part of a much larger toxic culture of harmful sexual interactions and perceptions, not readily discussed within our churches. Dr. Kieve emphasized, the Church must even go beyond safety training and policies. “We must make space for conversation to foster healthy relationships around sexuality. We must remove the rhetoric of shame that is pervasive. We must equip families for this work. We must do so in the classrooms and from the pulpit.”
While Dr. Kieve’s focus was on CSA, he highlighted additional forms of abuse: emotional, physical, and spiritual. Spiritual abuse perpetrated against children and youth includes the use of religion to harm, abuse by a religious authority, compelled participation, and to spiritualize or justify harm. Dr. Kieve’s passion and ministry also compels him to advocate for women in Church leadership and raise awareness related to the abuses they suffer for their faithful servanthood.
As ministers of the Gospel we must seek to empower those entrusted to us, and demand that the imago dei be recognized and upheld in each member of our congregations. Palmer’s commitment to Whole Persons calls us to protect and restore the least of these, and to equip our community members to do the same.
