Abstract
We studied the restoration beliefs of conservative protestant pastors using an experimental design. We varied pastor offense (romance, affair) and offender age (young, middle age) in narratives presented in an online study and at a ministerial retreat. Both groups rated restoration potential highest for the younger pastor in the affair condition but there was no difference in the romance condition. In addition, the participants believed a younger pastor would fare better in his marriage. We discussed our findings in terms of research on forgiveness and reconciliation.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
American Association of Pastoral Counselors. (1994). Codes of ethics online project center for the study of ethics in the professions. Retrieved July 10, 2003, from Illinois Institute of Technology Web site: http://www.iit.edu/departments/csep/PublicWWW/codes/coe/Ethics_2.html
ACA Code of Ethics. (n.d.). Retrieved July 10, 2003, from http://www.fairaccess.org/acaethic.htm#SECTION%20A
American Psychological Association. (2002). Ethical Principles of psychologists and code of conduct 2002. Retrieved May 14, 2004, from http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.pdf
Aquino, K., Tripp, T. M., & Bies, R. J. (2001). How employees respond to personal offense: The effects of blame attribution, victim status, and offender status on revenge and reconciliation in the workplace. Journal of Applied Psychology, 86, 52–59.
Ashton, M. C., & Lee, K. (2001). A theoretical basis for the major dimensions of personality [Electronic version]. European Journal of Personality, 15, 327–353.
Berry, J. W., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2001). Forgivingness, relationship quality, stress while imagining relationship events, and physical mental health. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 48, 447–455.
Bouhoutsos, J., Holroyd, J., Lerman, H., Forer, B. R., & Greenberg, M. (1983). Sexual intimacy between psychotherapists and patients. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 14, 185–196.
Committee on Women in Psychology, American Psychological Association. (1989). If sex enters into the psychotherapy relationship. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 20, 112–115.
Conlin, S. C. (2001). Seminary sexuality education survey: Current efforts, perceived need and readiness in accredited christian institutions [Electronic version]. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy, 26, 301–309.
Enright, R. D., & Coyle, C. T. (1998). Researching the process model of forgiveness within psychological interventions. In E. L. Worthington, Jr. (Ed.), Dimensions of forgiveness: Psychological research and theological perspectives (pp. 139–161). Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation Press.
Hadman-Cromwell, Y. C. (1991). Sexual misconduct by clergy. Journal of Religious Thought, 48, 64–72.
Hartford Institute for Religious Research. (2002). A quick question: How common is clergy sexual misconduct? Retrieved May 28, 2004, from Hartford Seminary, Hartford Institute for Religious Research Web site: http://hirr.hartsem.edu/research/quick_question18.html
Haspel, K. C., Jorgenson, L. M., Wincze, J. P., and Parsons, J. P. (1997). Legislative intervention regarding therapist sexual misconduct: An overview. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 28, 63–72.
Hughes, R. K., & Armstrong, J. H. (1995, April 3). Why adulterous pastors should not be restored. Christianity Today, 39, 33–36.
Jackson, H., & Nuttall, R. L. (2001). A relationship between childhood sexual abuse and professional misconduct. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 32, 200–204.
Lamb, D. H., & Catanzaro, S. J. (1998). Sexual and nonsexual boundary violations involving psychologists, clients, supervisees, and students: Implications for professional practice. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 29, 498–503.
Lamb, D. H., Catanzaro, S. J., & Moorman, A. S. (2003). Psychologists reflect on their sexual relationships with clients, supervisees, and students: Occurrence, impact rationales, and collegial intervention. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 34, 102–107.
McCullough, M. E., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (1994a). Encouraging clients to forgive people who have hurt them: Review, critique, and research prospectus. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 22, 3–20.
McCullough, M. E., & Worthington, E. L., Jr. (1994b). Models of interpersonal forgiveness and their applications to counseling: Review and critique. Counseling and Values, 39, 2–14.
Mullet, E., Houdbine, A., Laumonier, S., & Giard, M. (1998). “Forgivingness:” Factor structure in a sample of young, middle-aged, and elderly adults. European Psychologist, 3, 289–297. Retrieved May 14, 2004 from PsycARTICLES database.
National Association of Social Workers. (1999). Code of Ethics. Retrieved July 10, 2003, from http://www.naswdc.org/pubs/code/default.asp
Pope, K. S. (1988). How clients are harmed by sexual contact with mental health professionals: The syndrome and its prevalence. Journal of Counseling and Development, 67, 222–226.
Pope, K. S., Keith-Spiegel, P., & Tabachnick, B. G. (1986). Sexual attraction to clients: The human therapist and the (sometimes) inhuman training system. American Psychologist, 41, 147–158.
Sandage, S. J., Worthington, E. L., Jr., Hight, T. L., & Berry, J. W. (2000). Seeking forgiveness: Theoretical context and an initial empirical study. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 28, 21–35.
Seybold, K. S., Hill, P. C., Neumann, J. K., & Chi, D. S. (2001). Physiological and psychological correlates of forgiveness. Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 20, 250–259.
Smedes, L. B. (2001, December 1). Keys to forgiving: How do you know that you have truly forgiven someone? Retrieved October, 11, 2003 from EBSCOhost database. Christianity Today, 45, 73.
Thoburn, J. W., & Balswick, J. O. (1998). Demographic data on extra-marital sexual behavior in the ministry. Pastoral Psychology, 46, 447–457.
Wells, K. (2003). A needs assessment regarding the nature and impact of clergy sexual abuse conducted by the Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute. Sexual Addiction and Compulsivity, 10, 201–217.
Wincze, J. P., Richards, J., Parsons, J., & Bailey, S. (1996). A comparative survey of therapist sexual misconduct between an American state and an Australian state. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 27, 289–294.
Worthington, E. L., Jr. (1998). An empathy-humility-commitment model of forgiveness applied within family dyads. Journal of Family Therapy, 20, 59–76.
Worthington, E. L., Jr. (2000). Is there a place for forgiveness in the justice system? Fordham Urban Law Journal, 27, 1721–1734.
Worthington, E. L., Jr., Berry, J. W., & Parrott, L. III. (2001). Unforgiveness, forgiveness, religion, and health. In T. G. Plante & A. C. Sherman (Eds.), Faith and health: Psychological perspectives (pp. 107–138). New York: Guilford.
Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Drinkard, D.T. (2000). Promoting reconciliation through psychoeducational and therapeutic interventions. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 26, 93–101.
Worthington, E. L., Jr., & Wade, N. G. (1999). The psychology of unforgiveness and forgiveness and implications for clinical practice. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 18, 385–418.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sutton, G.W., Thomas, E.K. Can Derailed Pastors be Restored? Effects of Offense and Age on Restoration. Pastoral Psychol 53, 583–599 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-005-4822-7
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-005-4822-7