Protestant Clergy Sexual Misconduct and Intercultural Pastoral Care

Beschreibung

This volume examines the often-overlooked crisis of sexual misconduct within Korean Protestant churches, exploring how militarized culture, hierarchical power, and institutional silence contribute to the abuse of congregants—especially those in vulnerable situations. Through a blend of sociocultural, theological, and psychological analysis, the book goes beyond individual acts of transgression to reveal the systemic forces that perpetuate clergy sexual misconduct. By investigating the historical, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of abuse, the book offers a framework for reframing survivor-centered care and rethinking pastoral theology. It concludes with a call for transformative change in religious practice, urging greater transparency and more compassionate faith communities. Essential reading for scholars, students, and practitioners, this book provides critical insights into addressing sexual abuse within church settings and fostering ethical ministry.

AHyun Lee is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology, Care, and Psychotherapy at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, USA. She is a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and an ordained elder in full connection with the Wisconsin Conference of the United Methodist Church.

This volume examines the often-overlooked crisis of sexual misconduct within Korean Protestant churches, exploring how militarized culture, hierarchical power, and institutional silence contribute to the abuse of congregants—especially those in vulnerable situations. Through a blend of sociocultural, theological, and psychological analysis, the book goes beyond individual acts of transgression to reveal the systemic forces that perpetuate clergy sexual misconduct. By investigating the historical, cultural, and spiritual dimensions of abuse, the book offers a framework for reframing survivor-centered care and rethinking pastoral theology. It concludes with a call for transformative change in religious practice, urging greater transparency and more compassionate faith communities. Essential reading for scholars, students, and practitioners, this book provides critical insights into addressing sexual abuse within church settings and fostering ethical ministry.

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AHyun Lee

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“This is an important book that shines a light on a largely unexplored problem. There are few studies on clergy abuse/misconduct in religious organizations apart from the Catholic Church, and this book makes an important contribution toward filling that gap. While the book focuses on the Korean Protestant Churches, and specific cultural and political contexts must always be kept in view, the findings may have implications for Protestant Churches and other faith-based communities more broadly. Through the lens of victim-survivor accounts, the book identifies multiple impediments to disclosure for victim-survivors including psychological, institutional, cultural and theological. However, it does much more and provides insights into the culture of the Korean Protestant Church more generally, moving from micro to macro analysis in continuing rotation. The impact of militarized masculinity and how abusive theologies can be resisted in the provision of pastoral care will be of keen interest to academics and practitioners.” (Dr Marie Keenan, School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, University College Dublin)

“Dr. Lee indicates the sexual abuse and harm caused by clergy should not be covered up in the community. She approaches analytic method that seeks the inside of Korean and Korean American immigrant churches built on the complexity of religious culture. By analyzing the socio-cultural context and relationships, she aims to understand the implicit shadow of Korean culture related to clergy sexual misconducts. This is a valuable study that allows us to learn the practicalities of constructing and maintaining a space for sacred ministry while understanding trauma from a pastoral counseling perspective. It will give us the structural wisdom to engage the healing and transformation in various settings.” (Bishop Hee-Soo Jung, Resident Bishop of the Ohio Episcopal Area (East and West Ohio Conferences), North Central Jurisdiction – The United Methodist Church)

“In the midst of pervasive clergy sexual misconduct in Korean Protestant churches, AHyun Lee’s insightful book emphasizes the urgent need to center the care of victim-survivors in faith communities. Through an interdisciplinary approach, Lee carefully examines the historical, social, cultural, and theological systems that normalize, justify, and perpetuate the “hidden problem” of clergy sexual misconduct. This book is an indispensable resource for faith communities extending beyond Korean Protestant churches, providing effective strategies for communal accountability and practical ways to support victim-survivors. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking to bring meaningful changes to faith communities through steadfast solidarity with those affected by clergy sexual misconduct.” (Dr. Nami Kim, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, Spelman College, Atlanta, GA, USA)

“Dr. AHyun Lee’s book is a much-needed contribution to the literature on clergy sexual abuse. Readers, including ministers, seminarians, and church members as well as anyone concerned about clerical abuse of power will benefit from Dr. Lee’s clear presentation of the issues at stake. With moving case examples and the experience of victim-survivors at the center, this book is an important new trauma-informed resource for anyone in search of a biblically-grounded, culturally-specific, and practical theological examination of sexual abuse trauma. Dr. Lee’s straightforward and accessible description of complex psychological and sociological concepts, her brave engagement with the psychological dynamics of perpetrators and “enablers,” and her grappling with the legacy of colonialism and Korean religious heritage provide a timely and relevant tool for understanding clergy sexual abuse in a Korean Protestant context.” (Lisa M. Cataldo, Mental Health Counseling and Spiritual Integration, Fordham University Graduate School of Religion and Religious Education)

“Walking the ethical care path cut by Marie Fortune and James Poling, AHyun Lee blazes a new trail to confront a religious culture of sexual abuse. Her exploration leads the reader to see how sexual misconduct that has been excused by a church embedded within a culture that affirms the violation of girls and women. Too often, psycho-social-theological attributions have esteemed religious leaders and shamed their victims. The license given to religious leaders to violate girls and women not only defiles the female Image of God, but it also reinscribes humiliation on a woman’s body by disregarding the objectifying violation of the perpetrator. Lee’s detailed approach to the dynamics of clergy sexual misconduct opens the door for a deeper explication of the dynamics that are far more complicated than tend to be recognized. Her pastoral care approach makes everyone aware of the suffering being perpetrated by a complicit church.” (Lee H. Butler, Bishop Henry White Warren and Elizabeth Iliff Warren Professor of Africana Pastoral Theology, Iliff School of Theology, Denver, CO, USA)

“To say that this book is a must-read for scholars and practitioners concerned with abuse in churches would be an understatement. This is the book we’ve been waiting for. With clarity and sensitivity, AHyun Lee disentangles the thorny web of theological, ecclesial, and cultural taboos that silence victim-survivors of clergy abuse and perpetuate institutionally sanctioned abuses of power, both in and beyond Korean Protestant contexts. Protestant Clergy Sexual Misconduct and Intercultural Pastoral Care: Invisible Mask fills a major gap in studies of clergy abuse in Protestant settings. More than that, it is an exemplar of trauma-informed, survivor-centered, culturally grounded pastoral theology. Lee’s perspective is essential to the work of understanding and healing the wound of clergy abuse.” (Susan B. Reynolds, Candler School of Theology | Graduate Division of Religion, Emory University)

“Rev. Dr. Lee deftly unmasks transcultural factors hiding the pervasiveness and perpetuation of clergy sexual misconduct (CSM) by precisely showing the impacts of colonialism and militarism interwoven with patriarchal theologies specific to Korean Protestant Churches. The particularity of Dr. Lee’s work exemplifies for the reader how to identify context-specific social, cultural, and theological aspects of CSM not despite, but rather in service of centering victim-survivors’ unique experiences. Through the heart-breaking eloquence and common extraordinariness of the stories of victim-survivors, Lee compels us to recognize the role each of us has in communal efforts toward healing, prevention, and eventual eradication of CSM. All faith-communities will benefit from the holistic, systemically aware, and trauma-informed pastoral care methodology that Lee gifts to us in this book.” (Kate Ott, Jerre and Mary Joy Stead Professor of Christian Social Ethics and Director of the Stead, Center for Ethics and Values, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary)

“Dr. AHyun Lee’s examination of clergy sexual misconduct in U.S. and Korean church contexts is not only an act of courage, but a scholarly tour de force, as well. She brings a kaleidoscopic epistemology to the interpretation of these experiences. Through utilizing transversal lenses of psychology, decolonial theology, intercultural, and communal accountability, Dr. Lee produces a masterful analysis and provides practical steps for congregations to support victim-centered caring responses, and justice seeking actions. Though it may provoke some to minimize or dismiss its accuracy, I am confident equally courageous victims, and their clergy allies will take courage to dismantle the “invisible masks” worn by perpetrator and victim.” (Lallene J. Rector, Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary)

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