Recent headlines have reported on the shocking case of Stephen Ireland and David Sutton, both jailed for multiple child sex offences. The former has been a prominent LGBT advocate and campaigner, was a founder of ‘Pride in Surrey’, and cultivated significant relationships with local police — drawing added attention to the case.
These are appalling crimes, and the revelation that the perpetrator had been deeply embedded in a moment as popular as Pride must add a sense of consternation and helplessness for many. In the wake of the sexual revolution, the LGBT movement, and events like Pride, play a special role in our culture. They possess a moral authority, standing for authentic self-expression and liberty from oppressive norms; as a result, they have real influence across a range of institutions.
Evangelical Christians in the UK must be able to empathise, at this point. The names trip off the tongue: Ravi Zacharias, John Smyth, Mike Pilavachi, David Fletcher. Many of us will have experienced the sickening sense of consternation and helplessness, even betrayal, in discovering shocking abuse perpetrated by honoured and trusted leaders, sources of moral authority in our Christian communities. What might we have learned, for situations like this?
