Anglicans around the world must tackle abuse in Communion churches "head on"

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Posted On : April 2, 2011 11:42 AM | Posted By : Admin ACO

ACNS: http://www.aco.org/acns/news.cfm/2011/4/2/ACNS4841

> Related Categories: ACO - SCC

Anglicans around the world must tackle abuse in Communion churches "head on"

Sexual, physical and emotional abuse not only
devastates the victims but damages God?s mission,
according to the spokesman of an Anglican network
working to protect the vulnerable.

As well as being chair of the Professional

Standards Commission of the Anglican Church of
Australia, Garth Blake is a founding member of
the Anglican Communion Safe Church Consultation.
This is an informal network of Communion members
working to prevent abuse in churches and their surrounding communities.

"Some Anglican Provinces have seen highly

publicised lapses in behaviour by some clergy and
church workers with tragic consequences for those
who have been abused?, he said. ?Our growing
international group is committed to the physical,
emotional and spiritual welfare and safety of all
people involved in churches throughout the Anglican Communion."

Established in 2009, the group has been working
to promote the safety and welfare of all people
involved in church across the Communion. Members
have been providing resources to educate about
the issue of abuse and misconduct in the
churches, and have equipped and supported people
working to make their churches safe.

This year between 23 and 26 June in Victoria,
British Columbia, Canada, the group will be
holding their second conference for ministers,
church leaders, pastoral counsellors and others
concerned with power, abuse and gender issues in
the church, entitled Partnering for Prevention: A
Conference on Abuse in our Communion and our Communities.

At this event participants will be discussing a
range of topics including human trafficking,
bullying, pornography and mass media, and
domestic violence. They will examine the impact
of abuse in residential schools in Canada and the
lessons to be learned. There will also be
workshops on prevention education, healing, and
pastoral ethics and relationships.

> Mr Blake explained that, no matter how
> challenging abuse might be, the Anglican
> Communion had a duty to do so: ?It?s important
> both for those who have been abused, and also for
> the church as a whole, to tackle these things
> head on. Darkness needs to be exposed to the
> light and without speaking the truth and naming
> evil behaviour there will be no change.?

"This issue is at the heart of the gospel. If we
cannot protect vulnerable children and adults it
says something about our Good News. We must see
protecting people as core to mission. In some
places the public perception is that churches are
not safe communities and not owning up to our
past puts down a significant barrier to the gospel message."

Mr Blake acknowledged that there was no ?quick
fix? for abuse in churches and communities. "It?s
got to be a mix of sound policy, education and
training, as well as specific codes of conduct
combined with effective pastoral care of those
abused. There also needs to be accountability on
the part of the abusers. All of this needs to be
done in the framework of understanding evil and also God?s grace."

Ultimately the group aims to develop a

comprehensive strategy for responding to and
preventing abuse. This will include working with
Provinces to encourage them to implement
effective policies and procedures to protect the
most vulnerable, especially women and children.

"This is about making our churches safe", said Mr
Blake. "We have a long term goal that churches of
the Anglican Communion become known for best
practice in this area. We approach this humbly
knowing how far we have yet to go, but we want
all people to see churches as safe places to be."

Keynote speakers at the June conference will
include the Rt Revd Mark MacDonald, the first
National Indigenous Anglican Bishop of Canada,
and the Revd Marie Fortune who is an ethicist and
theologian with experience in working to end
sexual exploitation in religious environments.

For more information about the conference or the
Safe Church Consultation visit http://safechurch.anglicancommunion.org

> ENDS

> Notes to Editors

·         The Anglican Communion Office serves
the Anglican Communion, comprising around 80
million members in 44 regional and national
member churches around the globe in more than 160
countries. http://www.anglicancommunion.org/