Oh- Former Associate Pastor Welcomed Back, SNAP Responds

By Judy Jones
SNAAP
July 13, 2012

http://www.snapnetwork.org/oh_former_associate_pastor_welcomed_back_snap_responds

This is an extraordinarily callous and dangerous move. Forgiveness is good. Recklessness is not.

We can forgive a school bus driver whose drunkenness costs children their lives. But we don't give her another set of keys. We can forgive a police officer whose misuse of a weapon causes injury to others. But we don't give him another gun.

Forgiveness is a private, personal choice. Giving a proven wrongdoer the tools and the chance to hurt others again is a public act. And it's wrong.

There is a huge and inherent power imbalance between clergy and church members. It is like a doctor-patient or therapist-client relationship, where any sexual contact is expressly forbidden. And for good reason: because it almost always results in devastation, with individuals and with congregations.

It's always the duty of the powerful official doctor, therapist or priest - to maintain boundaries and refrain from any sexual contact with the radically less powerful person patient, client or parishioner.

We hope anyone else who may have seen, suspected, or suffered harm by Steve Robbins will speak up, get help, and contact police.