Sexual Abuse of Power in the Black Church

Dear Pastors: You have been called to the most responsible position in the African American community. You are the inheritors of the legacy of some of the most admired and talented agents of God’s mercy and love that history has ever seen. The works of Martin Luther King, Jr. Minister Malcolm X El-Shabazz, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays and many, many, more; too many to name preceded you in the struggle for freedom and justice for the poor and oppressed black community. You have been charged with caring for "the widows and the orphans" and like Jesus, you are to show compassion to all women who have been treated negatively by the double standard of patriarchal power. (woman taken in adultery; woman that bathed Jesus' feet). Your ministerial exemplars have been role models for freedom fighters around the world and stand as shining lights for the youth on this nation and the world. These men taught us of the power that lies in the witness of The African American Church. However, many of our male leaders were not faithful to the gospel of love and compassion to our sisters in need. In issues of human sexuality the church should have be without fault or stain but it has been difficult to realize that noble goal. The oppressive historical situation of unbridled sexual, economic and racial oppression has contributed to an African American Church that has not developed a sexual ethic that cares for and keeps safe those who are the least powerful in our midst. This has been especially true for females in the community. However, we now have the benefits of a human rights struggle and the education so that religious leaders can learn to develop appropriate relationships with female members in our communities of faith and worship. Since females represent the overwhelming majority in number, if not in power, often approaching 80% if the total congregation, it is time for justice, respect and true love to prevail. . I wrote this book first of all to try and protect the persons in your congregations who may become the victims of the sexualized abuse of power. These victims have traditionally been women due to the overwhelming heterosexual orientation of most of our male pastors who have developed and continue to promote hetero-sexist theological views which see women as sexual objects and less privileged than men. This has led to women and girls remaining the most vulnerable persons who are subject to sexual victimization. The allegations concerning Bishop Long’s abuse of power regarding his relationships with young males now affords us the opportunity to consider the entire spectrum of abuse in which the vast majority of the victims have been girls and women. I believe that it has been the failure of the African American Church to engage in extended and knowledgeable discussions about our views of gender and sexuality that underlies this abusive ideology and practice. Instead of championing a view of liberation and justice that includes justice and care for our women, we have simply adopted a traditional view of sexuality that is strewn with the oppressive cultural scriptural interpretations and folkways that are patriarchal, materialistic and hetero-sexist. But just as we were able to see freedom when reading the Bible when the majority of Christians saw slavery; we can also see sexual and gender equality where others have read the oppression and domination of women. Unfortunately, this ideology of gender oppression was not only present among Christian evangelicals when Africans were brought to America, it was also found among those African leaders who conspired with Euro-Americans to sell us into slavery. But, as free and rational religious leaders we can develop interpretations of scripture that reinforce the sexual equality of women that is nascent, though not fully realized, in Western scriptural traditions. For example, though most of us recognize that even though the New Testament scripture states that adultery is the only reason for divorce, we now recognize and will perform marriage ceremonies for those who have received divorces for other reasons. This is because we believe that the highest law, the law of love, which is not a law but an attitude of compassion, leads us to recognize that there are other grounds for divorce that are consistent with the law of love. We no longer believe, as the early church did, that women are the heirs of Eve’s disobedience and therefore must be dominated by men. We know that early Christian theologians thought that the “original sin” of Adam and Eve was the knowledge of sexuality. This interpretation resulted in a negative view of the body and sexuality and we are still reaping the consequences of that negative interpretation of sexuality. We now recognize the beauty of sexuality when used appropriately and with love; and no longer think of sexuality solely in terms of lust, as was the case with the early Church Fathers. These are just two instances where the continuing role of biblical interpretation under the guidance of God’s love can restore and renew our sacred communities so that gender and sexual equality can be realized. I have faith that we can develop different notions regarding sexuality and eliminate sexual abuse in our Churches. This book outlines where I think we developed this destructive ideology of sexual abuse and provides suggestions for the development of a code of sexual ethics that is just and compassionate. We must discuss this code among ourselves and our congregations and hold one another accountable in a spirit of love and responsibility if we want to avoid the continued harm and scandal which has affected so many of our members and clergy. Up to this day African American Liberation theology has largely ignored the ways in which African Americans oppress each other. It has rarely examined or acknowledged the presence of internal contradictions that are the basis for our continued oppression. Dr. Alvin Poussaint's book; "Why Blacks Kill Blacks," is one of those works that boldly stated that it was the oppression of black woman by Civil Rights and Black Power leaders that killed the Movements from within. If we are to be free we must acknowledge our spiritual poverty that has resulted in our being our own worst enemies. This letter and book is not written in a spirit of condemnation but of hope as we recognize, confess and repent of our failings and faults in this area of our communal life. As a minister of the gospel, and more importantly as a child of God, I have the faith to believe that with the proper education and support we can turn the corner and become role models for those who will come after us. We had the misfortune of being the unknowing victims of centuries of silence concerning sexuality that was originally meant to protect us from the prying eyes of a larger society which feared, but was also fascinated, by African American bodies and Black sexuality. It is time for us to “keep it real” and use the intelligence and wisdom that God gives us to openly explore these issues with fellow clergy and community members knowing that none are perfect but all are seeking a higher level of perfection and sanctification. In doing so we must also recognize the ways in which we have been victimized as well. Our macho positions as authority figures must not blind us into thinking that we have been untouched by abuse and neglect. I hope that this book will help us on our way. Sincerely, Your Brother, Rev. Dr. Don Matthews