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	Church Needs Credibility? Jamaica Gleaner May 17, 2010 http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100517/news/news1.html While Church leaders are divided on whether the church lacks credibility, a university lecturer says Jamaicans, now more than ever, are looking to the church as the last bastion of morality. Dr Michael Barnett, lecturer in the department of sociology, psychology and social work, believes the nation is seeking an institution of integrity; more so now than any other time in the country's history. He argued that scandals, local and international, undermine the Church's ability to supply the need that exists. "Which puts us in a real scary situation ... Ground has been lost and they have to regain it," Dr Barnett said. He added: "People are looking for strong leadership from the church." Meanwhile, Dr Joseph Ade-Gold, bishop of Overcomers Word Ministries, believes the Church lacks credibility with the masses. He argued that the history of sexual abuse that has marred the image of the Catholic Church on the international stage, coupled with the public indiscretions of other ministers from various denominations, have affected the Church's credibility. In the wake of a sexual abuse scandal against the Catholic Church in Europe, Pope Benedict XVI, in March, apologised to victims and their families in Ireland, expressing 'shame and remorse' for what he called 'sinful and criminal' acts committed by members of the clergy. Accountability Ade-Gold said, "One of the things church leaders look at (when they meet) is accountability of church leaders, which is one thing that is lacking." According to him, each church leader should report to either a group or an individual as it relates to the fiscal prudence of the local church, as well as its relations with the community at large. The bishop believes a system of accountability is what is needed to restore the Church's credibility. At the same time, Reverend Lenworth Anglin, executive chairman of the Church of God in Jamaica, told our news team that the Church in Jamaica is very believable. However, he thinks the credibility of the Church, internationally, is suspect. "We have had some things that have happened internationally, which have affected the witness of the Church generally," Anglin argued. Additionally, the man of the cloth said churches in Jamaica have had their fair share of issues to iron out, but he thinks those wrinkles have been removed from their garment. "Now more than ever, the Church in Jamaica is acting in a united way to present a united, believable, and trustworthy voice on matters of national importance," Anglin said. He pointed out that while there have been isolated cases that have caused embarrassment to the church community in Jamaica, the local churches have not experienced "any real catastrophic scandal". Barnett opined that scandals will have an impact on the church's believability because onlookers will question if the Church is practising what it preaches. "Scandals do undermine the moral authority of the institution. We can't get away from that." Contact: tyrone.reid@gleanerjm.com
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