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Policies on reporting abuse allegations vary among religious denominations

By Peter Smith
Courier-Journal
February 4, 2001

[See also the main article of this feature: Jehovah's Witnesses' policy on child molesters attacked.]

Seven religious denominations other than the Jehovah's Witnesses were surveyed by The Courier-Journal about how they handle child abuse cases.

The churches had various responses in how they report suspected child abuse in states that require that authorities be told and in those that don't.

Kentucky requires citizens to report suspected abuse but allows exceptions for clergy-penitent and attorney-client privilege. Indiana requires citizens to report suspected child abuse and allows no exceptions.

Roman Catholic Church: Policies vary by diocese. The archdioceses of Louisville and Indianapolis require priests to report suspected child abuse in all instances except when they learn of it in confession. Even in that setting, priests can counsel someone confessing a crime to go to a counselor or police. Archdiocese of Indianapolis spokeswoman Susan Schramm knew of no instance where that conflicted with Indiana law.

Southern Baptist Convention: Churches are self-governing, so regional bodies do not dictate policies. However, the Kentucky Baptist Convention trains staff and volunteers to recognize and report suspected child abuse to authorities, according to Wendy Dever, preschool and children's associate for the convention.

Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.): Policies vary by regional governing body but are often shaped to follow state law. Pastors in the Louisvillebased denomination are forbidden to reveal anything told them in confidence. The church does not make an explicit exception for suspected child abuse but pastors can violate confidentiality when there is a "risk of imminent bodily harm to any person.''

Rabbinical Assembly (Conservative Judaism): Congregations are self-governing, but rabbis are expected to do everything to protect an abuse victim, including calling authorities. "One doesn't need a specific secular mandate that says protect somebody in trouble,'' said Rabbi Joel Meyers, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Assembly.

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: Policies are determined by regional governing bodies but often follow state law on who is required to report, said the Rev. Lowell Almen, secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

United Methodist Church: The church does not have a policy that requires clergy to report suspicions of child abuse, but clergy training emphasizes that laws often mandate reporting. If a pastor learns of abuse in a confidential setting such as a counseling session, "that's a decision a pastor would make on a caseby-case basis,'' Robert Kohler, assistant general secretary of the Division of Ordained Ministry.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons): Church leaders are instructed to call a denominational help line if abuse issues arise in the congregation. Those staffing the phone lines include professional counselors as well as lawyers who advise local ministers on their state's laws. "The law of the land must be obeyed,'' said a statement from the Latter-day Saints public affairs department. "If a report is required, help line personnel assist the local church leader . . . as who should make the report - whether . . . a family member, whether the perpetrator can be persuaded to self-report, etc.''

No religious denomination contacted has even considered what some Jehovah's Witnesses are demanding of their church: that congregations be told of pedophiles in their midst.

But many churches bar sex offenders from working with children, according to Dever of the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

And they increasingly conduct criminal background checks of potential pastors, youth workers and other volunteers.

"Small churches have a hard time with that, because they know everybody,'' Dever said. "But we really don't know everybody. We live in 2001. We have to be concerned about this.''

Staff writer Megan Woolhouse contributed to this story.

 
 

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