How Do Churches Claim "Virtue" After Sex Abuse



Both the Catholics and Southern Baptists have been rocked by sexual abuse scandals. Where I live the paper's headline today is about a relatively small diocese near here which admitted 28 priests are believed to have committed this abuse.

At the same time, Christian denominations are claiming to be the institutions of the highest moral character, that we should all pay close attention to what they have to say. As one priest long ago said, to be the moral authority the church must have higher virtue than all others around it.

To me, the term virtue includes giving up something big to benefit others. In the Catholic church this once was the clergy who gave up money, family and intimacy in order to serve their public. In the Bible Jesus is said to have suffered death temporarily to offset the sins of his flock.

In a book written long ago by President John F. Kennedy (Profiles in Courage) there are historical examples of people in politics who put their political careers in jeopardy by taking up unpopular stands. Martin Luther King and his group, including Rep John Lewis of Georgia, put their lives in danger by walking along a highway to Montgomery, Ala.

If Baptists and Catholics want to obtain, or recapture, moral authority it seems like they need to, like the priest said, have more virtue than others. They need to give up more than others to be seen again as virtuous.

But, to me, they are doing just the opposite. Clergy in both denominations are trying to hang on to as much of their money and power as they can. They should sacrifice the most important assets they have, their so called moral authority. 

Ironically, they would reclaim a lot of virtue by declaring, "We are no longer institutions on a higher moral plane. We will no longer pass judgment on others."

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