Church Abuse Focuses on Higher Authorities Church, State or the Insurance Company, Who Is the Lord of the Church?, Personal Finance Bulletin, May 11, 2011

Church Abuse Focuses on Higher Authorities- Church, State or the Insurance Company, Who Is the Lord of the Church?

Personal Finance Bulletin
May 11, 2011

http://personalfinancebulletin.com/church-abuse-focuses-on-higher-authorities-church-state-or-the-insurance-company-who-is-the-lord-of-the-church/10082/

The Elders of the Vienna Presbyterian Church and Pastor Peter James are asking where do we go when we need to repent? The leaders of the Church have looked into a five year old case in which there were reports of sexual abuse by a youth minister, Eric DeVries. They concluded that though the man was reported to the civil authorities by them and initially a felony charge of taking indecent liberties with a minor was brought and later he plea bargained to a lesser misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor with a suspended 12 month jail sentence that they had not done enough since that time to show care and compassion to those who were victims.

The conflict of authorities isn’t with the Church or the State but with the Insurance Company, GuideOne Insurance, who carries a liability policy. Their lawyer sent a letter to the Church officials admonishing them not to orally or in any other way state or suggest the Church had in any way caused damage by the acts of the youth director.

The governing body of the Church issued a letter the day after expressing sorrow that they had not been more helpful to the victims/members of the congregation after the events began to unroll. Further Pastor James preached March 27 and underscored in a message that the leaders chose not to use lawyers to hide behind. Calling these young women, survivors, he termed the leadership fault as failing to provide compassion and mercy resulting in some feeling neglected and uncared for. Though some had blamed the church during the course of the five years since DeVries crime was discovered and he was dismissed and arrested, none had filed a law suit against the church. Pastor James concluded stating Jesus words that the truth will set us free.

The answer faced by congregational authorities to the question of WWJD or What Would Jesus Do is clearly not what the Insurance Company would prefer. In a way it is ultimately their pocketbook on the line. Where does repentance, atonement, apologizing and accepting responsibility merge with the need to act responsibly in protecting the Church as a legal entity against fire, theft, injury to persons and property and liability?

It is a true dilemma as the historical and legally incorporated body, the Church, acts far too human and yet is held accountable to a higher standard as the dynamic body of Christ upon the Earth. Every denomination and many local Churches have had to face the all too public face of sin and stain of immorality, inconsistency and of being unChristlike in word and deed.