AUSTRALIA
7 News
Megan Neil – AAP on March 22, 2017
Confession should not be used to cover up child sexual abuse, a senior Anglican official says as the church affirms that confessions are invalid if an abuser will not go to the police.
Unlike the Catholic Church where the seal of confession cannot be broken, the Anglican Church in Australia’s position is that there is scope to disclose child sexual abuse.
The Anglican Church’s general synod in September will be asked to abolish any church rule that would require a member of the clergy to keep a confession of child sexual abuse confidential, its Professional Standards Commission chair Garth Blake SC says.
The unanimous view among the bishops is that is an appropriate way for the church to move, Mr Blake told the child abuse royal commission on Wednesday.
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