The continuing ramifications of recent leadership scandals in evangelical churches and the wider Christian world are being freshly addressed by one of the UK’s leading evangelical networks.
Affinity – which links around 1,200 churches and Christian organisations – says it wants to aim towards healthy Christian communities ‘where concerns about pastoral malpractice can be raised and dealt with fairly, and in ways which are honouring to Christ, theologically faithful and legally compliant’.
Director Graham Nicholls says: ‘One group of evangelical Christians is wary of victim advocates, often saying “there is nothing to see here” and taking refuge in the fact that being a good and strong leader will always provoke opposition. They see the drive for more openness about safeguarding as mostly driven by a secular victim culture.
‘Other evangelicals believe there is an endemic problem with overbearing leaders, that the inbuilt power imbalance means leaders are almost always overreaching and church members are vulnerable victims, so they get frustrated with those who instinctively defend pastors or ask for evidence.’
Affinity is therefore launching a new book in March, entitled Challenging Leaders, which tackles the topic of abuse of power by spiritual leaders in the church. The aim is to deal with pastoral malpractice ‘Biblically, justly and compassionately’, says Nicholls.
Meanwhile, Affinity welcomed seven new members in 2022, including Caring For Life; Christian Medical Fellowship; Crosslands and London City Mission. And its Theological Study Conference, ‘A Firm Foundation – Priorities for the Rising Generation’, is set to take place from 8–10 March in Northampton (find out more by visiting www.affinity.org.uk/studyconference).
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