Abstract

Clergy sexual misconduct remains a pervasive and troubling problem. Those tasked with deciding how best to handle its discovery face a difficult and ethically weighted leadership challenge. The research question that this theoretical-theological dissertation asks is, "how does one determine the best-fit intervention strategy to lead a congregation through the crisis of clergy sexual misconduct"? While there has been some research examining the congregational recovery process, little has been done specific to the decision making process. The limited research that has been done promotes a deontological approach which raises the question about possible alternative approaches. What is missing is a model that facilitates an ethically diverse approach to decision making. The intent of this study is to develop a model that would assist decision makers from all theological and ethical streams develop a customized "best-fit" intervention strategy. This model extends Boss' family stress theory into a theory of congregational coping and Hill's family crisis model into an eight-stage model of congregational transformation. I have integrated Breunlin, Schwartz and Kune-Karrer's metaframeworks theory, Fowler's stage of faith, Dale's stages of the congregational life cycle, Hauerwas theological ethics, Bonhoeffer's theology of Christian community and the Balswicks' biblically based model for handling sexual harassment into a comprehensive decision making model to assist congregational leaders lead toward transformation. Throughout this study I have integrated a three-part ethical dialogue to provide the reader with an ethically diverse perspective on the central issues related to the handling of clergy sexual misconduct. Interview data has also been included in an attempt to keep this theory grounded. Based on a congregation's capacity to cope with the stress of a disclosure of clergy sexual misconduct and the effectiveness of the congregational leadership, I have concluded that congregations may achieve a level of functionality below , equal or above their pre-crisis level of functionality