Reporting sexual abuse (revisited)
This article by Barry Gritters clarifies the Standard Bearer's position on reporting sexual abuse within the context of church discipline and consistory responsibilities. The author emphasizes that all cases of sexual abuse—defined as criminal sexual assault—must be reported to civil authorities and treated as public matters by the church, while acknowledging a previous editorial response that may have created confusion by broadening the discussion to include non-criminal sexual sin. The piece seeks to reassure abuse victims and provide clear guidance to church leaders on this serious pastoral and legal matter.
Reporting sexual abuse (revisited) Dear readers, In the November 1 issue of the Standard Bearer, a reader submitted a letter that asked about "reporting sexual abuse." The editor responded by showing that consistories must make careful judgments about whether a sexual sin should be reported or not. This response caused concern in another reader because the original letter was about sexual abuse, and therefore the editor's response should have limited itself to sexual abuse, not sexual sin...
Full article available on sb.rfpa.org