“Cases of Child Sexual Abuse in the Church” by Christian Seebauer, (CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported)
We conclude our examination of the numerous sexual abuse scandals in America’s churches and elsewhere.
A Failure of Faith?
These scandals are not isolated incidents. They represent thousands upon thousands of lives impacted. The scale of the betrayal is staggering.
Tragically, children make ideal victims. They are small, vulnerable, powerless, and easily convinced (or coerced) into keeping their abuse secret.
And the wounds inflicted on children by sexual abuse are not readily visible, though the scars may last a lifetime.
Everywhere the pattern here was the same. Sin was carried out under the guise of piety.
When it was uncovered, the predators were deliberately shielded from punishment by manmade institutions that claim to be Christian. Steps were taken to protect those manmade institutions, rather than the members of the Body of Christ.
This was not a failure of Christianity as a religion, though it undoubtedly resulted in many victims losing their faith. It was a monumental failure of the manmade institutions established for the very purpose of honoring and protecting that faith.
The Appropriate Christian Response
“It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles…And you are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he who has done this deed might be taken away from among you”(1 Cor. 5: 1-2).
As Christians, we are required to submit to the authority of God, and instructed even to submit to others in the interest of harmony (1 Peter 2: 13 – 3: 37) [1].
Justice, however, is a biblical mandate (Isa. 1: 17; Micah 6: 8). That involves advocating for the oppressed, defending the rights of the weak, and working towards a society that reflects God’s own character [2A][3A].
We are not required to remain silent in the face of evil, and simply endure its consequences. We are to pursue what meager justice this world has to offer, for justice is a reflection of God’s concern for the vulnerable [3B].
We are to root out sin, confront, and expose it, especially in the church (1 Cor. 5: 4-5; Eph. 5: 11-13) [2B][4]. Immorality defiles the church.
As for forgiveness, that is a personal matter between each victim and abuser, as well as between each victim and God. No church of whatever denomination has the right to pressure a victim into forgiveness.
Forgiveness, in any case, does not preclude prosecution under the law.
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[1] Bible.org, “Taking a Second Look at Submission 1 Peter 2: 13 – 3: 37); https://bible.org/seriespage/15-taking-second-look-submission-1-peter-213-37.
[2A and 2B] BibleHub, “The Role of Justice in Christian Life”, https://biblehub.com/topical/t/the_role_of_justice_in_christian_life.htm.
[3A and 3B] Inspiration Portal, “Justice and the Bible: A Christian Perspective on Pursuing Righteousness”, 3/7/25, https://inspirationportal.org/justice-and-the-bible-a-christian-perspective-on-pursuing-righteousness/.
[4] Got Questions, “How should sin in the church be handled?”, https://www.gotquestions.org/sin-in-the-church.html.
Parts 1 and 2 in this series were posted 5/17 and 5/24/26, respectively.
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A Voice Reclaimed, Surviving Child Abuse and More 