Kim Gentes

Clergy sexual misconduct is a complex topic. Attempting to identify, prevent and even confront it is even more arduous. In their book, “Betrayal of Trust: Confronting and Preventing Clergy Sexual Misconduct”, Stanley Grenz and Roy Bell attempt to tackle the gambit of definition, identification, prevention and confrontation of this topic, and they succeed. Grenz and Bell take a decidedly clinical approach to the book, rather than primarily a theological or pastoral vantage point (they do deal with the issue as it relates to pastors and their church communities, but most insight, sources, support and direction comes from the clinical arena).  This gives the text credence to the professional therapeutic community, as well as the clergy world.  While the book clearly articulates ethical implications of clergy sexual misconduct, it also investigates the far reaching effects on all parties involved- the victims, the pastor-offender, the pastor family, the local church congregation and even the broader representation of the pastoral offender as they stand as a representative Christ to the world/broader community.

For me, the most profound contribution of the book was to show (through numerous examples) that the definition of sexual misconduct is centered in the power granted (and used) by the offender via their position, status or trust in the local church community.  It is, then, from this position of power that misconduct is carried out, both because of its ability for the man in power to compel an opportunity for the woman to receive his advances and for the further use of that power to enforce an atmosphere of silence. Quoting psychologist Peter Rutter, the entire book is hinged on this specifically defined understand of sexual misconduct:

“any behavior by a man in power within what I define as the forbidden zone is inherently exploitive[sp] of a woman’s trust.”[1]

and

“sexual conduct between men in power and women under their care.”[2]

This definition of sexual misconduct as being rooted in a man’s position of power is crucial to identifying, preventing and challenging the behavior, as the author’s demonstrate by numerous examples. The first chapter of the book begins with explaining the extent to which misconduct has spread through all denominations and spheres of the Christian church. After that, the chapter identifies the scope of the problem across a range of spheres which such misconduct will impact- the pastor, the family, the church, the victim, and the gospel itself.

The second chapter explores the categorizations and situations in which a pastor can be “at risk” for sexual misconduct.  Chapters three and four explore the definitions and implications to which sexual misconduct is a betrayal of the trust and a misuse of power on the part of the offender.  In this section, the authors essentially place all responsibility for sexual misconduct between a minister and a congregant firmly on the shoulders of the minister. They quote Marie Fortune (which concurs with several other cited sources) by saying succinctly:

“it is the man’s responsibility, no matter what the level of provocation or apparent consent by the woman, to assure that sexual behavior does not take place.”[3]

Through a series of layered, logical arguments about power, authority and trust, the authors establish that the above is not only true, but is almost exclusively a male problem.[4] While not stating that it is inherently a male causation at work in the issue, the problem is due to the inequities of positions of power (both clergy and otherwise) being so dominated by men. Since power is at the base of the problem, people in power are the source of the misconduct.

The book goes on to make several helpful observations about how to minister to various groups of victims, recommendations and methodologies for prevention of misconduct, and even church response and possible guidelines for (church) governmental policies that may be helpful. All these items seem helpful.

One other very helpful point made by the book comes in the form of a listing of three proto-typical offenders of sexual misconduct: the predator, the wanderer, and the lover. While the stereotypes aren’t perfect, they articulate well the kind of people who may offend and what options we can consider in dealing with them.  Most poignantly, the wanderer seems to be potentially the most effective area to focus our efforts at prevention and restoration.  This is a helpful way to think about the issue, since it seems a fairly even-handed and thoughtful evaluation of what kinds of people may offend the privilege of the clergy position, for what reasons they might do so and how they might be equipped to avoid such offence.

That said, there were parts of the book that didn't seem complete or evenhanded. While understanding that clergy power certainly holds sway over congregants, there were three areas that intend power over a local church that are poised for the possibility of misconduct, but are not dealt with in this book. Other positions of possible misconduct are: spouse of minister, church boards and their members, and influential patrons of the local church.  Each of these positions hold possible power in local churches, none of which was dealt with in the book. I see that as a weakness of an otherwise excellent book.

That said, the majority of the book is insightful, compelling and helpful for churches and ministers. The oversights I have mentioned would have improved the book, but ultimately didn't deter from the book's effectiveness in the areas it attended to. For people with roles as pastoral leaders in church team, the most helpful thing to be learned from this book was the relationship of position/power to the potentiality of misconduct- that the minister is inherently endued with control in relationship to a congregant vis-à-vis the locus of power attendant to their position. Along with this control comes the corresponding responsibility for any and all actions of sexual misconduct between pastor to congregant.

Book Product link: Betrayal of Trust: Confronting and Preventing Clergy Sexual Misconduct

Review by

Kim Gentes

[1] Stanley J. Grenz & Roy D. Bell, “Betrayal of Trust: confronting and preventing clergy sexual misconduct”, (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books 2001), Pg 17

[2] Ibid., Pg 17

[3] Ibid., Pg 94

[4] Ibid., Pg 17,19

A Grief Observed is simply the journal of a man consumed with the pain of the loss of his wife to cancer. Perhaps the preeminent Christian author, scholar and philosopher  of the 20th Century, C.S Lewis scripts out his thoughts, struggles, questions and emotions during his time of grief.  He punches you with logic on one page and languishes in his own emotions on the next.  The book is not a model of how to be consistent during tragedy- quite the opposite. Lewis gives us raw, untainted pain.  And along with it, he questions the entire scope of his experience and situation- he questions the logic, questions his own capacity to be seeing clearly, even questions God with abruptness.

Reading A Grief Observed reminds me that we will always struggle with the task of reconciling our experience in the world with what we believe about God.  Lewis takes us to task for assuming that our experience hasn’t interpreted who God is completely wrong, and what we think of Him.  But he also lashes out at times to tell God just how difficult it is for the human life not to be struggling and confused. Early in the book he makes sure that we understand clearly that we (as friends/counsellors) are not the one suffering and shouldn’t pretend to be :

You can't really share someone else's weakness, or fear or pain. What you feel may be bad. It might conceivably be as bad as what the other felt, though I should distrust anyone who claimed that it was. But it would still be quite different.[1]

Lewis, eventually turns his brilliant mind on his own emotions and comprehension.  He finds that his desire to “see” something of his former wife is itself idolatrous (not in so many words).  While doing so, he clearly punches at our propensity to iconify and envision a reality that is not really real.  In his words:

Images, whether on paper or in the mind, are not important for themselves. Merely links. Take a parallel from an infinitely. . higher sphere. Tomorrow morning a priest will give me a little round, thin, cold tasteless wafer. Is it a disadvantage- is it not in some ways and advantage- that it can’t pretend in the least resemblance to that with which it unites me?

I need Christ, not something that resembles Him.[2]

The book winds down to Lewis having an evening of intense connection with the reality of his wife.  Not a vision or visit it seems, but something remarkably close that comforts him in a way.  He realizes he needs the real thing in every context saying:  “Not my idea of God, but God. Not my idea of H., but H. Yes, and also not my idea of my neighbour, but my neighbour”[3]

Wow! Taking in the reality of life, not as we perceive it erroneously to be, but accounting for the fact that they may actually be (that is - our neighbor, God, and even ourselves) something completely different than our perception has made them appear to us.  Lewis's prose is no less muted in this classic than any of his other books, it simply just bleeds with the reality of his intense pain. Beautiful.

Book Link on Amazon: A Grief Observed

Review by
Kim Gentes

[1] Grief Observed”, (New York, NY: Harper Collins 1961), Pg 13

[2] Ibid., Pg 65

[3] Ibid., Pg 67

The Imitation of Christ is the writing of Thomas Haemerken who was born near Kempen.  He later became known for the locale of his origin and thus Thomas à Kempis is our common rendering of his name and authorship.  The Imitation of Christ is a volume which collects four main books dealing with primarily personal development, purity and piety of the reader, leading them to ultimate union with Christ.

The first two books in the collection are direct admonishments from Thomas directing the reading is proverb-like directives, pitting the failure of human effort against the solace of God’s grace.  The last two books are scripted dialog between Christ and the disciple (implying the writer and also the reader). The writer chooses to take a blunt  instructive tone in the entire treatise, not commending or encouraging the reader, but handling the vast majority of the topics through warnings.  Of particular import to Thomas was to communicate how no human should find consolation in this life, but only in Christ. Repeatedly, he creates the conversation to repudiate the sinful desires of the reader. The only consolation from struggles, temptations, persecution or failures is temporary consolation of God’s approval and sustenance through God’s grace, and death which leads to union with Christ after purgatory.

Thomas has seems of brilliance that flow into praise of God, but he is darkly adamant against letting any such joy spill out in actual physical, emotional or social contexts.  Here is a brilliant quote from him in regards to praise of God:

Would that our sole occupation were the perpetual praise of the Lord our God with heart and voice! Had you no need of food, drink or rest, you could praise God without ceasing, and give yourself wholly to spiritual things.[1]

 For Thomas privacy of all things is a matter of utmost piety.  The book provides brilliant glimpses into sinful and human motivations and how to conquer such devices through keeping vigilant in confession, penance and communion.  Thomas fails to learn the lesson of St. Francis however, and reverts to the pre-Franciscan millennial in which solitude from people was a necessary act of lifelong piety. Rather than acquiring the self-abasement of the monastics and combining the communal commitment of Francis, Thomas à Kempis undoes the brilliance of Francis advancement and calls all devout Religious to return to solitude and cares none for the clearly Biblical mandate of brotherly love and the community of the Church.

The book, like the other Christian mystic writings of the 10th-14th centuries, summates with its goal of union with Christ.  This is particularly interesting in “The Imitation” in that Thomas focuses exclusively on the Eucharistic sacrament as the ultimate manifestation of God’s help for the Christian.  This is woven beautifully into a prayerful call for Christ to join the believer in the communion sacrament, where Thomas says :

Dear Lord, I long to receive You with deepest devotion and ardent love. and with all the affection and favour of my heart, as many Saints and holy persons have longed to receive You in Communion, who were especially pleasing to You by the holiness of their lives, and were on fire with devotion. O my God, Eternal Love, my supreme good and eternal delight, I wish to receive You with the most eager devotion and deepest reverence that any of Your Saints have ever felt. or could feel.[2]

Product Link: The Imitation of Christ (Penguin Classics)

Review by Kim Gentes

[1]Thomas à Kempis, “The Imitation of Christ”, (London, England:Penguin Books 1952), Pg 65
[2]Ibid., Pg 214

Bonaventure is a collection of the namesake saint’s most prized writings. It includes his two well read treatise The Soul’s Journey into God and The Tree of Life, as well as the officially commissioned (by the Church) biography of  Saint Francis of Assisi called The Life of St. Francis.

His most well known work, The Soul’s Journey into God, is a fusion of mystical interpretation of biblical allegory and “Augustine”-like logical thought.  Typical of these writings, the entire text is constant dissection from major point to minor point, back to major point- always trying to draw an outline of grand understanding rather than tell a coherent story.  The treatise starts with the physical/natural aspects of human existence, the natural weakness and frailty of man with its goal is lead you through a progression that will consummate in ultimate union with God. Bonaventure sees this as a progressive work that involves “levels” or stages of reflection and contemplation. You move from infant to maturity, eventually reaching ecstasy with God.

The Tree of Life follows a more clear storyline- in that it chronologically restates the life of Christ- but it is merely using that story arc to articulate the contemplative interpretation of Christ’s life as allegory.  With the cross of Christ being a tree of life, the stages of Christ’s life are explored as various fruits from his character, which hang on three main branches of the perfect life- His original (life before the Cross), His passion (the trials and crucifixion), and His glorification. Bonaventure uses less logical arguments than The Soul’s Journey into God, but he ultimately relies on much more recognizable components of Christ’s life to pin his thesis to, even if it is (The Soul’s Journey into God) largely based on allegory, as well.

My favorite work in this book, however, is the Life Of Saint Francis, which uses Bonaventure's skill as a communicator to convey the biography of the venerable saint Francis. Some points of the book are so gushing with praise of Francis, the writing loses credibility, though not elegance. But the longer you read, the more you become enraptured with Bonaventure into the life of Francis. By the end of Francis biography, you are fully immersed in the teachings and practice of Francis, and thus, you believe the miracles, the stories, and the accounts of his wisdom and greatness. Even in Francis death, he comes to prove Bonaventure’s writings we saw in both The Soul’s Journey into God and The Tree of Life by describing a man who enters into complete union with God, both by his ardent contemplation and fervent practice (especially of poverty). This union becomes not only an example, but almost another Christological event, as Francis “becomes” Christ as the first one to record receiving the sign of the stigmata.

A powerful quote that inspired me in The Tree of Life is:

O hard heart,
insane and impious,
to be pitied as if bereft of true life,
why do you rejoice and laugh
like a madman
in the midst of such misery
while the Wisdom of the Father
weeps over you?
Consider your weeping physician and
make mourning as for an only son,
a bitter lamentation;
let tears stream down
like a torrent
day and night.
Give yourself no rest,
nor let the pupil of your eye be still.[1]

 This particular point was a profound revelation to me. It was the best articulation I found for the difference between Francis and the early ascetics:

When they arrived at the valley of Spoleto full of their holy plans, they began to discuss whether they should live among the people or go off into places of solitude. But Christ's servant Francis did not place his trust in his own efforts or those of his companions; rather he sought to discern God's will in this matter by earnest prayer. Then, enlightened by a revelation from heaven, he realized that he was sent by the Lord to .. win for Christ the souls which the devil was trying to snatch away. Therefore he chose to live for all men rather than for himself alone, drawn by the example of the one who deigned to die for all (2 Cor. 5 :15).[2]

 In this last sentence we see the absolute brilliance of Francis, and the astuteness of Bonaventure for articulating it. His work of poverty, asceticism and self-discipline was not the isolated ascension to God that the desert Fathers espoused through their monastic model. Instead his asceticism was placed inside the community (instead of away from it) because he said “he chose to live for all men rather than for himself alone”.  In my estimation, this is the most brilliant accomplishment of St. Francis, and revealed by Bonaventure.

Product Link : Bonaventure: The Soul's Journey into God, the Tree of Life, the Life of St. Francis (The Classics of Western Spirituality)

Review by Kim Gentes

[1]St. Bonaventure, “Bonaventure: The Soul’s Journey into God; The Tree of Life; The Life of St. Francis”, (Mahwah, NJ:Paulist Press, 1978), Pg 137
[2]Ibid., Pg 208

Francis and Clare: the Complete Works contains the library of writings from Saint Francis of Assisi and his female protege Saint Clare of Assisi.  Francis writings range from his mystical understandings of Christ’s humanity and God’s nature (and their poetic renderings) to his practical Rules, and Testament, which details how life is to be lived by those who followed his way of life in the Order.  Clare’s writing, is more terse and compact, and you can see it has synthesized the teachings of Francis to an even more focused agenda than himself. Clare seems to be a more skilled writer, or at least more poignant.

Both Francis and Clare articulate the need to require others, through their writings, to ascend to Christ through and imitation of his life of poverty and suffering. Francis, even in his poetic writing, seems to have a fascination with praise and singing, even in his death. Clare seems to requite the same kinds of things as less than noble for the serious mind set on Christ. He seems raw and lost in his bodily and spiritual union with God, through his physical suffering coupled with his demanding attention to detail that was still always tempered with a joyous tone towards God’s goodness.  Clare’s words are more requesting and with an air of entreatment that seems appropriate for nobility. This might perhaps have been because much of her writing was, in fact, directed to nobility in her letters to Agnes of Prague.

This quote from Francis absolutely inspires me:

1. You are holy, Lord, the only God, You do Wonders.
2. You are strong, You are great, You are the most high, You are the almighty King. You, Holy Father, the King of heaven and earth.
3. You are Three and One, Lord God of gods;
You are good, all good, the highest good,
Lord, God, living and true.
4. You are love, charity.
You are wisdom; You are humility; You are patience;
You are beauty; You are meekness; You are security;
You are inner peace; You are joy; You are our hope and joy; You are justice; You are moderation, You are all our riches.
[You are enough for us].
5. You are beauty, You are meekness; You are the protector,
You are our guardian and defender;
You are strength; You are refreshment.
6. You are our hope, You are our faith, You are our charity,
You are all our sweetness,
You are our eternal life:
Great and wonderful, Lord.
God almighty, Merciful Savior[1]

Clare, likewise, is just as enthralling where she says:

2. Place your mind before the mirror of eternity!
Place your soul in the brilliance of glory.3f
Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance!4
And transform your whole being into the image of the Godhead Itself
through contemplation!5
So that you too may feel what His friends feel
as they taste the hidden sweetness
which God Himself has reserved
from the beginning
for those who love Him..[2]

 Saint Francis and Clare are a unique expression of early Middle Ages monastic. In a sense Francis carved out the physical nature of becoming like Christ in body, and Clare confirmed his vision in both practice and across genders.  Together they became a template for much of what would follow in mystic thought and practice in the Church for hundreds of years. 

Product Link: Francis and Clare: The Complete Works (The Classics of Western Spirituality)

Review by Kim Gentes

[1]Francis of Assisi & Clare of Assisi, “ Francis and Clare: The Complete Works”, (Mahwah, NJ:Paulist Press, 1982), Pg 100
[2]Ibid., Pg 200