In a recent conversation with a Lutheran pastor here in Milton, Florida we discussed the nature of the Roman Catholic revelations of abuse in the church,which has been going on for decades. In my mind, the issue boils down to celibacy. It is simplistic, but sociologically it makes sense. My Lutheran brother argued that the problem with Rome is that they do not understand the role of the civil sphere (Rom. 13). If a priest abuses a child, you do not take the matter and make it a hierarchical secret; rather, you take it to the cops. Somehow, I think celibacy and this failure to understand the role of government in issues outside of the church’s calling summarize the matter quite well.
This is a very complicated issue, as you know. I just wanted to make the point that celibacy and homosexuality have nothing to do with pedophilia, which is a very severe form of psychopathology. This type of behavior is not confined to the Catholic clergy by any means. However I think that any religion, Catholic being one of them, that tends to have what I consider an unhealthy attitude toward human sexuality, is going to attract an unhealthy expression of human sexuality.
Mary, what do you mean by “an unhealthy attitude toward human sexuality?
Mary, what do you mean by “an unhealthy attitude toward human sexuality?”