Please note: This article contains references to abuse.
The dismaying - and predictable - revelation in the saga surrounding Chris Brain of Sheffield's Nine O'Clock Service, is that it could have been avoided. His theological education supervisor insisted that he was not fit for ministry and should not be ordained.
However a desperate Anglican church in the UK, faced with falling numbers and irrelevance, fast-tracked him and swept all concerns aside. [Because], you know, he gets stuff done.
And it's easy for Reformed evangelical types to "tut-tut" and say that this was a terrible scandal, yet overlook the fact that that has been a common feature of our own tribe's scandals and bad leadership outcomes in recent years. And the common defence is "Well it's not sexual or illegal, so it's hard to say." If you are a church leader and on a consistent basis you hear deep concerns about a particular leader, but you keep kicking it to the kerb, it's not hard to say, it's just hard to act.
Pragmatic responses to ugly leadership including the following lines:
- "Well, his church is growing though."
- "Sometimes you have to break a few eggs..."
- And the biggie... "We need to show him more grace."
That was the language used around another Sheffield situation (The Crowded House), and I have heard it used of poor, insecure and unfit-for-purpose leaders in Australia, who - though not necessarily narcissists - have track records proving they should not lead people.
And the whole Chris Brain saga shows that, while he is responsible for his actions, leaders further up the food-chain are responsible for their inactions.
If you want to lead leaders - be that as a bishop or a denominational head - then it's your job to lose sleep and even relationships to ensure that such people not only do not hurt people, but that you don't permit an ecosystem to evolve and flourish that allows such types to keep on hurting people while excuses are made for their behaviour.
This opinion piece was originally published as a post on Stephen's Facebook page.
Help and support
If you are affected by any of the issues raised in this story, help is available via: FearFree Support (fearfree.org.uk); the Safe Spaces helpline on 0300 303 1056 / safespacesenglandandwales.org.uk; The Samaritans helpline – 116 123; The National Association for People Abused in Childhood napac.org.uk.
