Tuesday 27 December 2011

On sexual abuse allegations at Prairie Bible Institute, Three Hills, Alberta

 
as published in Calgary City Light News, January 2012 - Tim W. Callaway, columnist

“From my experience, a child who is being abused has to tell – on average – seven people before their story is taken seriously. Seven. That is completely unacceptable.” – sexual abuse survivor and former NHL player, Sheldon Kennedy, testifying before a U.S. Senate committee, December 13, 2011

Given the international controversy generated by recent Facebook allegations of long-past and recent incidents of sexual abuse at Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, I find myself reflecting much on the matter of truth. Again. Since I spent seventeen years of my youth growing up at PBI, you might appreciate why.

While researching and writing a doctoral dissertation (completed 2010) entitled “Training Disciplined Soldiers for Christ: The influence of American fundamentalism on Prairie Bible Institute during the L.E. Maxwell era (1922-1989), I heard from numerous former “staff kids” like myself with interesting and often, hilarious, stories to relate of happy memories stemming from their years at PBI. 

Regrettably, some of the stories I heard were not funny and revealed sordid secrets of sexual abuse experienced at Prairie. Such trauma resulted in years of emotional suffering, costly therapy and, of course, inevitable spiritual upheaval for victims. Since the stories involved friends I’d loved and adults I’d respected for years, I was and remain deeply saddened.

I was not surprised, however. In 1984 while a seminary student I conducted research on sexual abuse in evangelical circles as part of acquiring a master’s degree. In those days virtually no one was talking about the hidden monster. Indeed, visits to numerous university libraries in greater Chicago yielded little by way of information. The horrors of sexual abuse perpetrated by Catholic priests had yet to become regular fodder for the nightly news. Distressing reports in this regard from schools for children whose parents had served with evangelical missionary organizations like Gospel Missionary Union, the Christian and Missionary Alliance or New Tribes Mission had yet to cross our radar. The cesspool now readily accessible via the internet was an unknown factor.

Nevertheless, I was stunned by my findings on a sadistic reality I’d decided to research upon reading a news story in the Chicago Tribune that claimed authorities estimated statistics concerning sexual abuse of children within religious communities were as bad as if not worse than those for the population in general. I initially refused to believe the claim. A survey of several hundred evangelical churches pierced my soul. Over 90% of pastors who responded acknowledged having encountered the evil during the course of their evangelical ministry. Closer to 95% admitted they’d had no idea what to do about it and were still uncertain as to what their proper course of action should be.

I have no interest whatsoever in “dissing” Prairie Bible Institute or any other evangelical entity for what has come to light in the almost thirty years since I stumbled on this horror. All I know is that twenty-five plus years pastoring three different evangelical churches in western Canada has introduced me to dozens of faces and names raised in such circles who have tearfully related heart-breaking stories that helped instill a passion I will never lose.

Considering that Christ-followers have just celebrated Advent wherein we again proclaimed the life-altering news concerning the birth of Jesus, the Way, the Truth, the Life, perhaps you’ll concur that my reflection on truth is timely.

Truth is often hideous – even as it relates to reality among God’s people. If you need verification of my claim, you might consult early portions of Scripture such as Genesis 38 and 2 Samuel 13. The Bible makes no attempt to conceal this harsh reality. It’s one of the reasons I maintain that, as the story of Balaam demonstrates, God has consistently been limited to using jackasses in attempting to accomplish his work on earth. We need to stop pretending that this truth surprises us. Deny this and there’s no telling what other truths we will deny.

As an avid student of history, I would lack integrity if I didn’t point out there’s been no shortage of skeletons in the closet of Judeo-Christian endeavor over thousands of years. Or, as perceptive pastor, Frederick Buechner, aptly states: “There is perhaps no better proof for the existence of God than the way year after year he survives the way his professional friends promote him.”

In a college course I recently taught on Christian History I asked students to engage such inquires as: “Identify some of the factors regarding how and why the Church evolved from the status of persecuted (e.g. under Nero) to persecutor (Crusades)?” Several students remarked they’d never previously given much thought to the matter. “Millions have,” I responded, “and that’s partly why they want nothing to do with god, religion or church. If you want to be relevant to the way many Canadians think in the 21st century, you’re well advised to tackle the tough questions of which there are many.”

The anecdote serves to establish my conviction that as truth-seekers, contemporary Christ-followers are to be pace-setters in seeking, identifying and even divulging truth wherever the evidence leads. The historical record of too frequent a failure to do so partially explains why today’s Church is viewed by many Canadians as a discredited relic of days gone by. This is merely one reason why organizations like Prairie Bible Institute need to make haste to allow an independent third-party to investigate such claims. This is simply a proper acknowledgement of the implications behind the principle that when one part of the body suffers, we all suffer with it.

Some of us have enough professional respect to call a spade a spade, even if it turns up dirt. Dirt isn’t welcome in some Christian settings which is precisely why truth often takes a beating. Transparency is far more than a pious concept to be articulated in the interests of a politically-correct “sound bite.” The rampant nepotism, narcissism and attendant arrogance that abound in religious circles today needs to be repented of and immediately jettisoned.

Many Canadians I encounter in the course of daily ministry in one of this nation’s fasting growing bedroom-communities roll their eyes when I tell them I’m a church leader. Why? Part of the reason is because they’ve lost patience with and respect for executives of Christian organizations who are demonstrably more committed to acting like politicians or behaving in accordance with The Gospel According to Bay Street than with anything remotely resembling the integrity of the Christ we proclaim.

With all due respect to many dear family members and friends – past and present - at Prairie Bible Institute or, for that matter, any other Christian entity, it’s long past time for the Christian Church and related organizations to “man up,” as they say today, and unreservedly engage truth.

Either that or we should exhibit the decency to seriously reconsider our claim to be following, never mind representing, Jesus, “the Truth.”
 

2 comments:

  1. Given the international controversy generated by recent Facebook allegations of long-past and recent incidents of sexual abuse at Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, I find myself reflecting much on the matter of truth. Again. Since I spent seventeen years of my youth growing up at PBI, you might appreciate why.... Tim W Callaway

    ReplyDelete