AUSTRALIA
The Conversation
Peter Sherlock
Vice-Chancellor at MCD University of Divinity
The report of the Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations has now been tabled in the Victorian Parliament. Entitled Betrayal of Trust, it is sober reading. It deserves to be read by everyone involved in the leadership of religious organisations in Australia to ensure that the widespread abuses and systemic failures it documents are never allowed to occur again.
If acted upon, its recommendations will see the most fundamental overhaul of the way the churches are governed in Victoria’s history. This is because the inquiry has taken seriously the complex structures and histories of religious institutions in governance, law, and authority.
The report recognises that churches should be free to determine their own beliefs and behaviours in purely religious matters. It also recognises that it is hard to define the limits of what is and what is not a religious matter.
At issue is not the separation of church and state. Rather, the question is the extent to which the state ought to regulate the churches in matters such as freedom of conscience, or freedom to discriminate.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.