Candace R. Benyei, Understanding Clergy Misconduct in Religious Systems: Scapegoating, Family Secrets, and the Abuse of Power. Routledge Press, 1998.
Referenced in: Church Conflict – Congregational Trauma, Ministerial Misconduct
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is my first recommendation for congregational trauma. It also functions as one of the most lucid explanations of family systems for churches.
Benyei’s text is quite comprehensive on the subject as whole, but here are a few special strengths.
1. Explains the dynamics of clergy misconduct in congregations through the lens of family systems theory, with a special emphasis on concepts such as scapegoating, family secrets, and the abuse of power.
2. Discusses the concept of transference, where we place ministers on a pedestal, even a God-like or parental role, which sets followers up for disappointment and minimizes the human needs of the clergy. Her insight on this helps churches accept ministers more realistically, as both blessed and flawed. This encourages accountability and allows ministers to get help without losing face.
3. Describes the currencies of power in congregations which makes it difficult for people to bring a complaint against a minister.
4. Explains the tendency of churches to cover up or keep silent when abuse or misconduct occurs. This always seems well-motivated, but Benyei describes the damage keeping secrets does to the the victim(s) and the congregation. She says, “The keeping of the secret produces more pain to more people than the original insult itself.” (104). She continues, “The secret may be closely held by a few main players; the secret may be vaporous and no one may know anything for sure. Nonetheless, a great deal of energy is used in keeping the lid on Pandora’s box, which includes not only the secret but the resultant rage, anger, loss, fear and shame.” (106)
5. Describes a devastating tendency of churches who experience clergy abuse or misconduct to actually “scapegoat” the victim. Benyei says, “Because it is unbearable to believe that the beloved spiritual leader could commit such acts, since that would shatter the fantasy that one had at last found the ultimate caregiver, victims are often unforgivable.” (95).
This is an excellent text, and a must read for all churches that are experiencing ministerial misconduct.
From the Publisher
In Understanding Clergy Misconduct in Religious Systems, you’ll take an incisive look at why sexual misconduct occurs in religious systems and how to implement proactive strategies for holistic change. Applicable to both Jewish and Christian communities, this illuminating exploration takes a look at the psychology behind scapegoating, why it is perpetuated, and how you can quell the damaging tradition of silence.
Understanding Clergy Misconduct in Religious Systems helps you see leaders of religious institutions in a way that the world has been afraid to see them—in a glass clearly. Enriched with metaphoric myths and fairy tales instead of technical jargon, its unique systemic perspective reveals the psychodynamics behind the obsession with family secrets and lets you understand this dysfunction from the perspectives of victim, abuser, and counselor. These specific areas will both inform and aid you in dealing with this difficult subject:
- The religious institution as a family system
- The religious system as an illusion of the perfect family
- The concept of God-transference and the overidealization of clergy
- Clergy personal relationships and clergy congregational relationships
- Vulnerability and the psychology of the victim
- Strategies for healing dysfunctional religious systems
Understanding Clergy Misconduct in Religious Systems comes at just the right time—in an era when little has been written on the subject, especially from a systemic perspective, this work comes at a time when the phenomena of clergy sexual misconduct has rocked the very foundation of religious systems worldwide. Whether you’re a lay congregational leader, judicatory administrator, pastoral counselor, psychologist, or seminarian, you’ll find that the coping strategies and intervention techniques it outlines will guide you in pinpointing the sickness at its source and restoring felicity and order to your religious leaders and their communities.
About the Author
Candace Benyei is a psychotherapist who specializes in congregational dispute resolution and the application of family systems theory to congregations.
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