Clergy Sexual Misconduct. John Thoburn Thoburn

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      A Model for Intervention, Restoration, and Oversight Regarding Clergy Sexual Misconduct

      A comprehensive approach uses governing policies and protocols for addressing both the personal and systemic factors presented by clergy misconduct. An effective systemic model would include the following key components (Roberts, 2008; Thoburn, 1991; Thoburn & Balswick, 1998; Thoburn & Whitman, 2004):

      1.Set policies and protocols for the assessment, intervention, and restoration of clergy guilty of sexual misconduct. Put in place oversight protocols and criteria to evaluate the appropriateness or current fitness of the pastor to continue in ministry while in treatment or return to the ministry after participating in treatment.

      2.Attend to the needs of the clergy’s spouse and family as well as other directly involved people or victims.

      3.Provide care for the potential impact and healing needs of the parishioners.

      4.Address systemic environmental factors. This would encompass preventative measures involving clergy education and formats for facilitating personal, relational, and spiritual development, including healthy sexuality and conduct. Additionally, integrate educational programs on sexual health and integrity as well as sexual addiction recovery resources into the mission of the Church as a whole—an important focus often neglected.

      Administrative Oversight and Infrastructure

      Effective execution of these policies and protocols can be accomplished by establishing an administrative infrastructure in the form of an Oversight Team that reports to the denomination or governing body. With relative independence from the overall governing body, this team can focus on the directives designed to serve the health of clergy leaders, including intervention and restoration with respect to sexual misconduct. It is important to have the multiple perspectives that a team approach provides. The Oversight Team includes the following individuals:

      1.A denominational official who is the team coordinator. This person functions as the liaison to the denominational superintendent and represents the denomination to the Church and broader community when disclosing information involving incidents of clergy sexual misconduct.

      2.A therapist who is trained and experienced in clergy sexual misconduct and sexual addiction treatment.

      3.A pastor and lay leader who each have experience in addressing problematic sexual behavior and intervention dynamics.

      4.Ancillary team members such as legal consultants, Christian organizational and education experts, a medical practitioner, and experts trained in critical incident management.

      The Oversight Team is responsible for developing prevention and educational resources for clergy, including spiritual formation and direction as well as assessment protocols, treatment, and restoration recommendations for clergy who commit acts of sexual misconduct. As soon as sexual misconduct is discovered, it is recommended that the team prepare the clergy person for the possibility that he may need to relinquish his current ministry (this will be established during the assessment and evaluation). The primary focus is restoring him as a person and follower of Christ. The team provides the minister with a comprehensive sexual dependency or deviancy evaluation, including intervention and treatment recommendations for each incident of clergy sexual misconduct. This assessment is coordinated by the team therapist. This practitioner may also make recommendations to refer the pastor to a local therapist who specializes in clergy mental health issues, including sexual addiction, to do the evaluation. A consultation protocol with the local therapist is established throughout the evaluation and treatment process. The therapist conducting the evaluation may request to consult with a medical doctor, psychiatrist, chemical dependency counselor, or other practitioners as needed.

      The team assesses the impact of the clergy misconduct and makes care plan recommendations for the clergy, spouse, and family. In most cases, the team therapist suggests a care plan that involves providing each of these parties with their own therapy advocate. Practitioners trained in systemic approaches to therapy with specific experience in sexual addiction treatment, trauma resolution, and resiliency modalities are often best suited to serve their needs. This component also includes treatment recommendations and a care plan for the clergy marriage. The clergy couple’s therapy plan can be developed on a timely basis once personal evaluation and care plans have been established for each spouse. Finally, as the couple’s care plan is being put into place, a thoughtful approach to the practical needs of the family and each family member’s care can be initiated. A sensitive function of the team is to assess and make care plan recommendations for other parties directly harmed by the clergy sexual misconduct. Specific policies and approaches in these situations need to be developed in consultation with legal counsel as well as appropriate organizational consultants and treatment providers.

      The team has the vital role of recommending, developing, and overseeing a plan for attending to the needs of the parishioners of the pastor’s church. Systemically, the health of the Church depends upon governing leadership to responsibly and fairly address the issues. An optimal plan includes a communication protocol for the congregation. First, there must be an appropriate and timely disclosure of information regarding the clergy sexual misconduct, guided by denominational policy and legal consultation (see chapter 6). Second, once an approved plan has been determined by the oversight team and denominational leadership, trained facilitators can be recruited to address the disclosure, debriefing, and support needs of parishioners according to the unique dynamics of each Church situation. A responsibly planned intervention with care to avoid further harm can support the restoration of all parties (Ruth & McClintock, 2007).

      The Oversight Team will have the long-term ongoing task of shepherding the congregation through the acute and chronic phases of the crisis, including reconstruction of leadership as well as restoration of faith and trust in spiritual leadership. The team will need to carefully evaluate the structures of the congregation, just as it does the life of the pastor. Often misconduct involves unconscious (and sometimes conscious) collusion on the part of others along with the pastor; this will be a time for the Church to honestly evaluate and reflect on intrapersonal, interpersonal, and environmental dynamics within the congregation.

      The Oversight Team facilitates the policies and protocols for the denomination’s approved treatment and care plan for the clergy person, which includes any care plans for impacted parties. Further, they are to evaluate and recommend the fitness of the clergy’s reinstatement to ministry to the denomination or governing body. Upon denomination approval, the team provides oversight and accountability for the pastor’s plan for reinstatement to ministry.

      Under the policy directive of the denomination or governing body, the team develops and oversees clergy professional and personal development programs. Emphasis needs to be on providing formats scheduled on a regular basis to support pastors’ personal, relational, and spiritual health and vitality. Key components would also include the implementation of policies, guidelines, and programs regarding sexual health and appropriate conduct. A comprehensive model for addressing clergy sexual misconduct involves a proactive orientation to prevention and education regarding health and sexual integrity, combined with treatment and restoration.

      Assessment, Treatment, and Oversight of Clergy Sexual Misconduct

      Assessment

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