According to a Facebook report, embattled Immanuel RPC requested permission to withdraw from the RPCNA. There is not a lot publicly known, because the Great Lakes-Gulf Presbytery is trying to keep a tight lid on the situation so that it isn't media fodder.
I want to discuss this case in terms of the various players in an abusive family. We have the children, the parents, the extended family/friends and the authorities.
As an example, let's look at the Duggars handling of Josh Duggar's molestation:
The children were told that nothing big happened, that proper precautions were taken (by limiting contact between boys and girls), and that the situation was resolved
The parents covered up the crime and sent Josh off to "fix" his issues. Later, in Federal court, they lied under oath. They minimized the harm (nothing inappropriate happened) and their testimony disagreed with other witnesses.
The extended family/friends split over the issue. Some wholeheartedly supported the Duggars and blamed the victims, while some of the victims have distanced themselves from the family.
The authorities initially failed the Duggars by allowing the crime to be buried without any help for the girls who were molested. They failed to get help for Josh, instead letting him be sent to an IBLP-approved labor camp with the hope of rehabilitation.
We see that the Duggar parents failed their children, leading to a situation where they coddled the abuser and minimized those abused. The abuser was not helped - he ended up continuing in his sexual sin.
When we look at Immanuel, we see the same thing play out:
The congregation was lied to, told everything was under control, and then when issues came to light, put in a situation where they were forced to choose between their "trusted God-ordained leadership" and the outsiders.
The session covered up the crime, pretended to "fix" the issue while deceiving themselves that molesting 15+ children was "ordinary teenage curiosity" (no, it's criminal!), and then used their family network to manipulate the situation.
The presbytery split on whether the session did the right thing (by abusing their congregation?) and whether to support the session, or take the matter seriously as the media weighed in on the gravity of the situation.
The authorities pretty much did their jobs. The IndyStar reported on the abuse and coverup. The juvenile court declared the offender guilty and removed him from the situation. The RPCNA Synod (although I believe they were too eager to make Jared the scapegoat of the corrupt session) understood the grievous nature of the offenses and disciplined the offenders.
Yet, we see the same issue with the children. Some walked away and some stayed. This is a classic abuse dynamic. A critical part of abuse is how the dynamic is created and maintained. After being lied to, after watching their leaders be exposed by the IndyStar, the juvenile courts, independent observers and even the highest church court as being abusive and negligent, they still are holding fast to the system.
Why? Because these elders abusers have successfully created the abuse dynamic. First, through butchering Total Depravity and other doctrines, the session convinced the congregants that their own perspective is flawed and suspect. They taught them that their value was in following God (well, really God's ordained servants). They taught them that their Session truly and deeply cared about their souls and were God-gifted to do that, while no outsider really had their best interests in heart.
We on the outside can shake our heads at the complicity of the congregation in their abuse, but that isn't the story. These people need HELP!!! They are convinced that Jared Olivetti, who orchestrated a disinformation and coverup campaign against them is the one who should tell them how to live a godly life full of integrity. They are convinced that Keith Magill, who left Southside for covering up incest/rape, who covered up incest/rape at Southside without being held accountable, then did it again at Immanuel, is their God-ordained example of righteousness. They're convinced that other members of the session, who knew a child molester was in their midst with free access to their children and did nothing are the vigilant shepherds guarding the flock from wolves.
This matter is not over. The RPCNA (Synod) needs to first investigate the congregation and remove the abusers from contact with the abused. Then they need to investigate how half of the GLG presbytery approved of spiritual abuse, and even petitioned to split the presbytery into pro-abuse and anti-abuse factions.
*** Correction - the Southside Session found out after Magill had resigned the pastorate there that he had been covering up sexual abuse. See https://julieroys.com/church-elder-keith-magill-alleged-history-abuse-cover-up/
4 comments:
One thought that came to mind. Jared Olivetti's defense letter said that they should have brought in independent investigators. If we assume that it is a serious concern, what is to stop IRC from doing that now? I think they would greatly benefit from a third party looking into the matter.
GRACE isn't a possibility, but there are other trauma-informed Christian organizations that could step in and help the congregation work through their issues. Personally, I think having an organization outside the RPCNA with understanding of sexual abuse, spiritual abuse and reconciliation could really help.
Since Jared himself said this was a good idea, I don't know why the congregation would be opposed to it, and hopefully the Presbytery would also want someone to help them understand the matter fully.
I believe all the reputable ones REQUIRE certain things from an organization wishing to hire them. Things like whether the abuser is allowed on the premises and that reports have to be fully public. I wonder if an organization exists that would be both beneficial to them AND they would agree to conditions of employment.
Yes, this raises a lot of questions. I think the original exuberance about hiring a third party would quickly be dampened by the fact that any organization that could truly help them would not allow the session or presbytery to control the flow of information. Any organization that would allow the session to control information should not be trusted by the victims because, most likely, this is PR/damage control and often these are lawyers hired to scare the victims into silence by signing NDAs. [For example the law firm that wrote on behalf of Jared was trying to scare the commission with legalese that most likely had no merit]
You hit every nail on the head! Thank you.
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