wfn.org | Bishops speak out on clergy sexual abuse

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.ORG>]

May 3, 2002 News media contact: M. Garlinda Burton7(615)742-51027Nashville,
Tenn.  10-21-71B{201}

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (UMNS) - Bishops of the United Methodist Church declared
May 3 that clerics who "abuse children or who are sexual predators" will not
be "shielded or protected" by church authorities.

With high-profile cases among Catholic clergy raising awareness worldwide,
the 150-member Council of Bishops vowed at its semi-annual meeting to
"prevent and eradicate sexual abuse and misconduct" from all levels of
church life. In fact, the United Methodist Church has worked for more than
20 years to strengthen the laws in its Book of Discipline regarding ethical
and moral conduct of clergy, said Bishop Sharon Rader, council secretary and
leader of the church's Wisconsin Area.

"We had this issue on our agenda before all the media attention to the
Catholic clergy story," Rader explained. Bishops are charged with reviewing
denominational processes concerning clergy conduct, she added.

In 1992, United Methodism's international legislative assembly asked all of
the church's regional units, called annual conferences, to develop by the
year 2000 policies and procedures for addressing sexual misconduct by clergy
and lay employees. Those policies range from provisions for church trials to
steps for stripping errant clergy of their ministerial orders.

At their Bloomington meeting, the bishops spent several hours in closed
sessions, reviewing church policies and procedures for dealing with clergy
and lay employee misconduct. Church legal advisers also were consulted.

The United Methodist Church has 9.7 million members worldwide. United
Methodists represent the third largest Christian body in the United States
with 8.4 million members, behind the Roman Catholics and Southern Baptists.
The United Methodist Church has about 36,000 local congregations and 40,000
clergy in the United States.
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The complete text of the bishops' statement follows.

Sexual Abuse in the Church

There is little doubt that sexual abuse by clergy or representative lay
ministers in the church and society is troubling for our communities and
congregations worldwide. Such violations of sacred trust, particularly child
or sexual abuse, are devastating to those victimized and all persons
affected. Further, these acts damage the integrity of the church's witness.

As members of the Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church, we
affirm our resolve to prevent and eradicate sexual abuse and misconduct in
the church. We reaffirm our commitment to compassion, justice and healing
for those harmed.

We are committed to addressing sexual misconduct promptly and forthrightly
for the healing of all concerned, especially victims and congregations.
Clergy and other persons within our communion who abuse children or who are
sexual predators will not be knowingly shielded or protected. They shall be
held accountable as The Book of Discipline demands and Church order expects.
Given these historic affirmations, we joined in the following actions in our
semi-annual meeting:

7	Prayed for victims, offenders, families and the world church
including ourselves.
7	Reviewed the church's response to this issue over the last twenty
years.
7	Re-affirmed our policies and protocol for responding to allegations
of misconduct.
7	Identified existing resources available for the church.
7	Committed ourselves anew to the highest ethical standards of our
Office and living lives that reflect the gospel.

The Council of Bishops of The United Methodist Church
May 3, 2002
Minneapolis, Minn.

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United Methodist News Service
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