Synopses & Reviews
Anson Shupe is a sociologist who has studied extensively the problem of clergy (priests, ministers, rabbis, gurus) who take advantage sexually or financially of members of their churches and groups--from televangelists like Jim Bakker or Robert Tilton to the infamous Father James Porter who sexually molested at least 200 children. Shupe's focus is not on the psychological motives of these miscreants, but rather on the reaction to their actions by the perpetrators themselves, by the organizations, and by the victims.
Review
The author is not interested in the psychological motivation of the wrongdoers but in the social structures of the religious organizations with the power hierarchies that may actually make abuse inevitable. He investigates how the betrayal of trust happens, how and why it continues, and what are the reactions to it. Recommended for all public and academic collections.Library Journal
Review
...Mandatory reading for everyone in any kind of church leadership position, from simple parish pastor to the pope. It should be the substance of entire courses for any student of ministry because it says what is painful but true, and knowing what is true and accepting it is needed for the church to be what it should be.Thomas Doyle, O.P., J.C.D. Indiana University - Purdue
Synopsis
Manipulation and abuse of followers by religious leaders is sociologically expected because of the unique aspects of the leader/follower relationships (built on trust but having unequal power).
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. [147]-164) and index.
About the Author
ANSON SHUPE is a Professor of Sociology at the joint campus of Indiana State University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, IN.
Table of Contents
Religion, Sociology, and the Scandal of Clergy Malfeasance
Conflict and Power: Toward a Theory of Clergy Malfeasance
Structural Contexts of Perpetration
Organizational Responses to Perpetration
Victimization, Empowerment, and Policy
The Social Profile of Clergy Malfeasance
References
Index