|
DALLAS – A support group for abuse victims has asked the Baptist
General Convention of Texas to publish its list of ministers involved in
clergy sexual misconduct.
Miguel Prats, Texas coordinator for the Survivors Network of Those
Abused by Priests and Other Clergy, said the convention is allowing child
abusers to serve at congregations in other locations by not publishing its
list of clergy members involved in sexual misconduct.
The BGCT keeps a confidential list of individuals that are reported by
a church for sexual misconduct, including child molestation and
extra-marital affairs. Designated individuals from churches can write and
find out if specific people are on the list, but cannot find out why a
person was reported.
BGCT staff members have publicized how the list works at numerous
conferences and meetings across the state and on the Internet. The
overwhelming majority of people on the list are there because of sexual
misconduct between two adults, not for inappropriate action with minors,
according to Jan Daehnert, BGCT Congregational Leadership Team interim
director.
Prats cited the plight of one current Austin resident who was molested
in 1969 by a youth minister serving in the Dallas area. The
minister left the congregation shortly after the incident was discovered and went
on to serve at several other Baptist churches.
The BGCT has produced several materials that detail the ills of clergy sexual misconduct, Daehnert said. The
convention advises every church to report incidents of child
abuse to the local authorities and urges congregations to ask whether someone
is in the file before hiring him or her. It is doing as much
or more than any other Baptist body to prevent child abuse.
"The Baptist General Convention of Texas takes issues of clergy sexual
misconduct very seriously," Daehnert said. "We grieve when any minister
takes inappropriate actions, especially toward a minor. It is an abuse of
authority and power, but it is also shameful to the body of Christ.
"We are doing all we can to prevent sexual misconduct from occurring in
our churches. The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the first state
convention to my knowledge that has taken a strong stance to help churches
report predators and help victims. We are encouraging churches to report
issues of misconduct and urging search committees to check with us before
hiring anyone."
But Prats said his organization wants more. It wants the convention to
openly share the list with other Baptist conventions and with the public.
Doing otherwise, he said, is "hiding" the problem. "We find the BGCT has
an obligation to protect other people."
Daehnert agreed that protecting children is of the highest importance,
but unlike other denominational bodies, the convention has no authority
over local congregations. It cannot investigate activities or remove
pastors because every local congregation is autonomous.
At this point, the most the convention can do is keep the list that
will be shared with churches that inquire, Daehnert said. "We’re not
hiding. We’re glad to help. We’re just sticking to our process."
Churches provide information about clergy sexual misconduct in
confidence, Daehnert said. Removing that confidence would make churches
less likely to report abuse because many times congregations try to
protect the identity of victims as much as possible.
"We don’t publish the list because the list is
given to us in confidence by congregations that have had ministers confess
or where substantial evidence has been uncovered," Daehnert said. "Those
congregations have reported something that is very troubling. They share
with us in confidence their
experience." |