Winners taking all

A pastor’s recent dismissal underscores the problems evangelical ministers face in the Presbyterian Church (USA), a denomination that embraced same-sex marriage this spring. The Presbytery of Carlisle, an association of PC(USA) churches in Pennsylvania, voted recently to dissolve the pastoral relationship between Wayne Lowe—a vocal supporter of biblical marriage—and his congregation, Faith Presbyterian Church of Harrisburg.

Mark Englund-Krieger, the executive presbyter of Carlisle, rejected the idea the presbytery acted against Lowe because of his position on marriage. He said, “Evangelical pastors are not being ‘forced out the door,’” for the Presbytery of Carlisle acted in response to “the observed dysfunctional exercise of pastoral authority and leadership.”

But the timing certainly raises questions. Concerned about PC(USA) drift, Lowe began a formal process with his congregation last August to determine whether Faith should leave the denomination. Members opposed to Lowe met and campaigned against leaving. The Presbytery of Carlisle—according to a presbytery committee report—was “fully aware of this effort and supportive of it” as an opportunity to emphasize “the importance of maintaining connections with the PC(USA).”

The result, according to Lowe, was something like “a coup d’état.” With the congregation divided, the session voted last December to stay in the PC(USA). In April, the presbytery fired Lowe. The controversy highlights a deep, intractable problem: A PC(USA) pastor arguing for biblical marriage may still have his own opinion, but he’d better not talk about it.

The presbytery committee’s report chastised Lowe for “being openly vocal about his own theological beliefs” concerning marriage and homosexuality. The result? “Rev. Lowe is not able to embrace the wide range of beliefs of the membership.”

The cost of abuse

Over $3 billion. That’s the financial price tag for the Roman Catholic Church’s response to child abuse from 2004 to 2014. Since 2004, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has reported the annual costs related to child abuse settlements, therapy for victims and offenders, attorneys’ fees, and child protection.The cumulative costs are staggering: over $2 billion in settlements, a quarter of a billion in therapy for victims and offenders, half a billion in attorneys’ fees, and a third of a billion on child protection efforts. A survey of the annual reports shows the church spent over $600 million in 2007 alone, though the settlement costs declined precipitously in 2009.

David Clohessy, executive director of Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), spoke of the human price tag: “The ‘cost’ of wasted and stolen human potential is of course incalculable.” Citing official estimates that priests abused 100,000 American boys and girls, and believing the number to be higher still, Clohessy pointed to depression, loneliness, substance abuse, and incarceration among the abused–“and many commit suicide, either overtly and quickly, or subtly and quietly.” —J.B.