Just a few weeks ago, a sexual-assault case against Canadian megachurch leader Bruxy Cavey was dismissed over court delays. In the spirit of full disclosure, I know Cavey. He denies the charges but admits to adultery. The Oakville-based Meeting House was perhaps the largest and most successful megachurch in Canada but has lost numerous members and even suspended services, as it can no longer obtain abuse insurance. There were also several earlier cases involving other clergy at the church.
This story originally broke just three years after the death of Ravi Zacharias, one of the most popular and influential preachers and Christian authors in the world, who lived for many years in Canada and attended what was then Ontario Bible College. He was posthumously exposed as an abuser of several women. One survivor of his crimes said that Zacharias had called her his “reward” for a life of Christian service.
Shortly before this, the Ontario Court of Appeal had made legal history by dismissing two main components of an appeal by the Roman Catholic Basilian Fathers of Toronto against the awarding of $2.57 million in damages to a sexual-abuse survivor. This was the highest amount ever awarded in such a case. The victim was Rod MacLeod; his abuser was the late William Hodgson Marshall, who sexually abused MacLeod more than 50 times. Marshall had been convicted of abusing 17 young people over his 38-year career, and there are accounts of other priests accidentally walking into areas when the abuse was taking place and simply leaving, closing the door, and keeping the crime to themselves.
It would be absurdly insular to assume that any of this is quintessentially or exclusively Canadian, and abuse isn’t confined to any one region or religion. But while we pride ourselves in this country on being an egalitarian society, we’re often far more respectful of elites and authority than are the Americans or even the British. That’s acutely pertinent, because the perception of the priest or minister as being set apart, special, and uniquely significant is often a basis for abuse. That type of attitude exists throughout the world, but as someone who has lived in three countries, I believe it to be especially noticeable in Canada. The idea that “Father is always right” or “the pastor would never do that” is worryingly prevalent.
Then there’s the formation and training of the clergy themselves. Many denominations are desperate for clergy, and this can lead to cutting corners. I’m confident that at Trinity College, University of Toronto, and in my various church internships, I received a first-class training. Issues of power, sexuality, and boundaries were regularly discussed — more than this, we retrained, tested, and police-checked regularly. I know with certainty, however, that this isn’t replicated in every branch of the Christian faith. I’ve sometimes been astounded at the lack of guidance and supervision.
There’s an understandable need for younger clergy, for people who can ostensibly identify with their own generation. But many of these people have limited life and work experience, and they often require even more support and guidance when taking on leadership positions — especially ones that carry the power of the Church.
And the importance of gender should not be ignored. Whole mainline Protestant denominations, such as Anglican and United, ordain women, have female bishops and leaders, and are increasingly aware of the dangers of patriarchy and sexism. That doesn’t always prevent the lowered status of women. This is far more problematic in the Roman Catholic and evangelical churches, with women invariably denied equality, let alone power and influence. Beyond straightforward sexism, there’s a twisted Biblical idea that women are there to serve, and that can lead to all sorts of horrors. Canadian Jean Vanier, founder of L’Arche, convinced his victims that his sexual abuse of them was part of God’s plan.
Lastly, there are those who are abusive by nature and, in the worst cases, intend to use the collar to reach often vulnerable people. This may sound grotesque, but it’s well-documented. Such abusers, whether they prey on children or adults, can be extremely devious, and some churches are far too trusting. It’s an incredibly difficult discernment process for a Christian employer — the assumption of virtue and a sense of forgiveness are integral to the faith — but the safety of congregants has to be paramount. They need to have the same rights and security as students, secular employees, or anybody else.
There are cases going through the Canadian courts right now in which churches are accused of not being sufficiently protective of members or properly scrutinizing of staff. One church administrator in one such case to whom I spoke said, “We prayed very hard about whether to hire him. It turns out we were wrong.” Let’s see how that one goes down with the judge.
Sexual abuse is one of the open wounds of a society that only recently has begun to listen to the stories of survivors. There’s not a place of work or recreation that hasn’t been touched, but when it comes to churches, the opportunities for wrongdoing are particularly obvious and the consequences horribly dark. Even in Canada.
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