or anyone else who might really have knowledge about this............
Let's say a member of a congregation has done something very, very wrong (sexually). This person goes to the pastor in confidence and spills his guts - all the disgusting details. In the meantime, the police are called in (not by the pastor) and the person is arrested for their crimes. AFTER the police have arrested this person and taken them away, the pastor then files a written report with the police regarding what he knows about the situation.
My questions are several:
1) How much is the pastor OBLIGATED by law to put in his written report?
2) Should he even be filing a written report? Or does pastor confidentially exclude him from doing that?
3) Where is that "fine line" drawn in a situation like this?
I know that as a daycare provider if I know of abuse or neglect, I am obligated by law to call the authorities. But what I would know would not have been shared with me in the kind of confidential situation that a pastor/parishioner would share. So is there a difference?
Please don't think I am bashing any pastor here. I am simply asking a question. Thanks.
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ! ! ! !
I went to a Vineyard Church from 1992 to 2006. I was on different prayer teams during this period and for 5 years I was a POC (Pastor On Call). We were told a couple of things about serving in those capacities.
One, we were not to "give advice" or "counsel." In other words were not supposed to tell a person to divorce or leave their spouse. This could come back with legal ramifications like, "Well, the Vineyard told my wife to divorce me."
Second, if anyone revealed to us that they were considering suicide we were to immediately have someone on another line call the authorities and tell them of the situation and where the person was or report it ourselves.
Thirdly, if someone revealed that they were abusing someone, we were to tell them that we did not have clergy privilege and we had a legal obligation to report the situation. We were told to tell the person that it would be best if he reported himself and if he did not we would report him. We were to tell the person, you need to report this and I am going to check to find out if you did or not, and if you did not I will report you.
I went to a Vineyard Church from 1992 to 2006. I was on different prayer teams during this period and for 5 years I was a POC (Pastor On Call). We were told a couple of things about serving in those capacities.
One, we were not to "give advice" or "counsel." In other words were not supposed to tell a person to divorce or leave their spouse. This could come back with legal ramifications like, "Well, the Vineyard told my wife to divorce me."
Second, if anyone revealed to us that they were considering suicide we were to immediately have someone on another line call the authorities and tell them of the situation and where the person was or report it ourselves.
Thirdly, if someone revealed that they were abusing someone, we were to tell them that we did not have clergy privilege and we had a legal obligation to report the situation. We were told to tell the person that it would be best if he reported himself and if he did not we would report him. We were to tell the person, you need to report this and I am going to check to find out if you did or not, and if you did not I will report you.
Thanks, Sam. I appreciate your answer.
I wonder if it works the same way for Protestants as well as Catholics? Is there more confidentiality privilege because of the confessional??
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Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of a battle ! ! ! !
I wonder if it works the same way for Protestants as well as Catholics? Is there more confidentiality privilege because of the confessional??
It is my understanding (might be wrong) that in the confessional the priest is not obligated to reveal what has been said. I think something happened like that with OJ Simpson but that was not a Roman Catholic situation. I think OJ Simpson had told Rosie something that might have been used in convicting him but because Rosie was speaking to him in a position of praying for him he did not have to reveal what was said.
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Sam also known as Jim Ellis
Apostolic in doctrine
Pentecostal in experience
Charismatic in practice
Non-denominational in affiliation
Inter-denominational in fellowship
It is my understanding (might be wrong) that in the confessional the priest is not obligated to reveal what has been said. I think something happened like that with OJ Simpson but that was not a Roman Catholic situation. I think OJ Simpson had told Rosie something that might have been used in convicting him but because Rosie was speaking to him in a position of praying for him he did not have to reveal what was said.
Rosie Greer. We don't know what if any confession was made however I believe they did try to subpoena either him or a jail guard who overheard it and it was rejected
__________________ Let it be understood that Apostolic Friends Forum is an Apostolic Forum.
Apostolic is defined on AFF as:
There is One God. This one God reveals Himself distinctly as Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
The Son is God himself in a human form or "God manifested in the flesh" (1Tim 3:16)
Every sinner must repent of their sins.
That Jesus name baptism is the only biblical mode of water baptism.
That the Holy Ghost is for today and is received by faith with the initial evidence of speaking in tongues.
The saint will go on to strive to live a holy life, pleasing to God.
I wonder if it works the same way for Protestants as well as Catholics? Is there more confidentiality privilege because of the confessional??
I've never been to confessional, but I thought the priest wasn't supposed to be able to see the person who was confessing, but only to hear the confession?
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What we make of the Bible will never be as great a thing as what the Bible will - if we let it - make of us.~Rich Mullins
I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.~Galileo Galilei
I've never been to confessional, but I thought the priest wasn't supposed to be able to see the person who was confessing, but only to hear the confession?
In the old confessional booths there was a screen between the one confessing and the one hearing the confession. But confession could be done openly just about anywhere on a one to one basis. Confession has changed. You can now sit down with the priest and confess to him openly. And, there is also a way for everyone in the congregation to stand and whoever wants to can confess privately and silently to God. I don't remember the terms used for those practices.
I remember going to a healing service at a Roman Catholic Church several years ago. Two or three people would stand in the front as a prayer team and you could go up there and receive individual prayer from the team for healing. Some times they would pray for your in tongues or they might prophesy over you. Off to the side, in a place where the choir ordinarily sat, a priest was available (I think in non-clergy garb) and anyone could go there, sit down with him and confess.
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Hybrid Mode
