Abstract
This article offers a definition of sexual abuse in the ministerial relationship and describes a systemic approach for intervening that cares for the needs of victims and perpetrators, and provides an opportunity for congregations to move from denial to hope both spiritually and organizationally.
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References
Blackmon, R., unpublished Ph.D. dissertation, 1984, Fuller Theological Seminary; referred to in Fortune, M., and Stellas, E.,Clergy Misconduct: Sexual Abuse in the Ministerial Relationship: An Educational Workshop for Clergy and Religious Professionals of All Faiths,Seminary Teachers and Students, and Denominational Leaders, 1992, developed for the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence, Seattle, Washington.
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Rutter, P.,Sex in the Forbidden Zone. New York, Fawcett Crest Book, 1989, p. 30.
See Carnes, P.,Contrary to Love: Helping the Sexual Addict. Minneapolis, CompCare Publishers, 1989.
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Brubaker, D. R., “Finding Hope for the Victims, the Offender and the Congregation in Cases of Clergy Sexual Abuse or Misconduct,”Action Information, 1991,17, 6, 18–22.
Graham, L., “Healing the Congregation,”MSC Conciliation Quarterly, Spring 1991, 2–4, 15.
Olsen, D., Russell, C., and Sprenkle, D., “Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems: I. Cohesion and Adaptability Dimensions, Family Types, and Clinical Applications,”Family Process, 1979, 18, 3–27; “Circumplex Model of Marital and Family Systems: VI. Theoretical Update,”Family Process, 1983, 22, 69–83; and “Three-Dimensional Circumplex Model and Revised Scoring of FACES III,”Family Process, 1991, 30, 74–79.
Carnes describes this dimension of the circumplex model inContrary to Love, op cit.
Fortune and Stellas,op. cit., 69–70.
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He is the author of many articles on organizational structure and Christian social action.
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Vogelsang, J.D. From denial to hope: A systemic response to clergy sexual abuse. J Relig Health 32, 197–208 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00995653
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00995653