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Full Project – SEXUAL IMPROPRIETY: THE ISSUES AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR CHURCH

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CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

Sexual impropriety, broadly construed to include all forms of improper sexual activity, is a pervasive problem in religious institutions. This is not a question of who you are or what you look like; it affects people of all backgrounds. Pastors, priests, and lay leaders who are seen as spiritual and moral authorities in their communities are unfortunately the most prevalent offenders of sexual misconduct in religious organizations. It’s very uncommon for victims of sexual assault to have a wide range of negative emotions and physical and mental health consequences after the assault.

Sexual misconduct in religious institutions has far-reaching consequences for the church, victims, and society at large. Numerous studies have been conducted to learn more about sexual impropriety in religious organizations and the factors that contribute to it. The findings show that sexual misconduct inside religious groups is nothing new. There is evidence from several case-history studies that many Clergies sexually abused youngsters. Bolen (2019) found that incidents like this eroded faith in the church and among its followers.

According to Bates’s (2016) research, many Christians are becoming disinterested in and even leaving the faith. These and other studies have helped pave the way for current research on the root causes and repercussions of sexual misconduct in religious institutions. When it comes to sexual misconduct in religious institutions, power relations are a major contributing factor.

Key (2020) argues that persons in higher positions within a religious organization are more likely to misuse their authority because of the organization’s hierarchical structure. Those at the top of the hierarchy are in a better position to exert influence over their subordinates and weak followers. Because of this exposure, individuals are more likely to become victims of authoritative figures who will use their position to suppress them. Long-term repercussions on victims and their capacity to report abuse or seek help might result from power abuse.

Problems arise when authorities are not trusted. According to Sanders (2018), the effects of sexual misconduct allegations extend well beyond the victim and the institution itself. Abusers sometimes lure their victims because of their magnetic personalities. It is frequently this attraction or draw towards the perpetrator that causes the victim to remain silent and the defender to defend the offender. These results may have both short- and long-term consequences for the business. The loss of faith in the religious organization might lead to a decline in attendance if allegations of abuse are not investigated and dealt with in a timely manner. Thus, lawsuits, penalties, or a decline in contributions can all have an impact on the church’s financial resources.

Victims also face serious consequences as a result of sexual misconduct. Many victims of abuse experience difficulties with their mental, psychological, and even physical well-being. Severe emotional trauma, leading to sustained emotional and physical health harm, has been found to result from experiencing sexual assault or abuse (Bradshaw, 2019). Depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and thoughts of suicide are among ways in which this damage might present itself. Many victims endure their ordeal in secrecy, unwilling to seek redress or assistance out of shame or fear of retaliation. The mental health consequences of sexual misconduct may be further highlighted by this disorder. Last but not least, sexual misconduct has far-reaching consequences for the church. After sexual abuse allegations surface within a congregation, members often distance themselves from the church.

Henderson (2019) claims that a large loss of worshippers and drop in involvement occurs when confidence is broken. As a result of fewer people attending services, religious organizations may have less money available to fund vital communal and social initiatives.

The prevalence of sexual impropriety in churches among members in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. It has grown to a level that creates fear and tension in the heart of anyone who has concern for the future of Nigeria as a nation and that of the teeming Christian populates of Nigeria. The society is grappling with many behavioral problems of the church members and clergy/pastors alike, which according to Ekundayo&Oyeniyi (2008) and Adebule (2012) include fraud, deception, intimidation, drug offences, smoking, flirting, stealing and armed robbery, violent conduct and demonstration, vandalism, examination malpractices, cultism and thuggery. In addition to the above listed widely publicized behavioral problems, Dotonu (2011) stated that heterosexual and homosexual activities are also viewed as part of the behavioral problems prevalent in some of the Nigerian churches.

They are coined in the literature as sex abuse, sex offences, sexual misconduct, sexual impropriety, promiscuity and maladjustment (Omoteso, Adeniyi&Bada, 2010 and Anise, 2011). However, Dotonu (2011) observed that sex abuse and fraudulent misappropriation of money appeared to be one of the most serious and most common sexual impropriety among the youths and leaders of the churches involved in this mess.

According to the new testament of the Holy Bible, jealousy, killing, lies, adultery, fornication, theft, heresies, pride and several immoral acts are against the will of God. However, the church is guided by the word of God which is against all forms of sexual impropriety, but there are still some level of sexual impropriety in churches.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Without doubt, there is an increasingly low level of sexual impropriety and unethical standard in the society today especially in the church, many interest groups have laid blame on modernism and developments especially the advent of modern technology and the internet.

One of the outstanding remarkable virtues of a good society should be sexual purity which has received little or no attention from the society today. Also, sexual sexual impropriety has eaten deep into the fabric of the society. It has become the mainstay of the peoples’ behaviour (Adebule, 2012). Fraudulent accumulation of wealth has also been the order of the day in churches

Researches have shown (Omoteso, Adeniyi&Bada, 2010; Anise, 2011 and Odebiyi, 2001) that sexual sexual impropriety and corruption has thousands of destructive effects on the society. However, the researcher is examiningthe challenges of sexual impropriety and its implications on the growth of church.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The general objective of the study is to examine the challenges of sexual impropriety and its implications on the growth of church. The Specific objectives include:

To examine the effect of sexual impropriety on the growth of Christ Apostolic Church, Ibadan.
To determine the way forward on the issue of church sexual impropriety.
To identify the factors encouraging sexual impropriety in churches.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What is the impact of Sexual impropriety on the growth of Christ Apostolic Church, Ibadan?
What is the way forward on the issue of church sexual impropriety?
What are the factors encouraging sexual impropriety in churches?

1.5 RESERCH HYPOTHESIS

To achieve he research objectives, the following hypothesis was formulated:

Hypothesis 1

H₀: Sexual impropriety does not have significant effect on Church growth.

H₁: Sexual impropriety has significant effect on Church growth.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following are the significance of this study:

Outcome of this study will educate the church leaders and the general public on the issues of sexual impropriety in the church and identifying the way forward on the issue of church sexual impropriety.
This research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out further research in this field subsequently, if applied will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the topic.

1.7 DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Delimitation of the Study

The scope of this study shall be confined to Christ Apostolic Church Academy, Ibadan in which careful study will be taken into consideration on the Challenges of Sexual impropriety in The Church and Its Implications on Church Growth.

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

Despite the end product of this research work, this project faced some constraints such as time, fund, gathering of’ materials and co-operation from question respondents at the collection of data. There was also problem of getting the documentation of church in case study, which posed a delay in the compilation of the work. However, the researcher did this possible best to present a valid report.

1.9 RESEARCH PROCEDURE

With the intention of acquiring more knowledge and understanding on the challenges of sexual impropriety in the church hind its impacts on the growth of the church, the following procedures were taken:

Materials of relevant authors and authorities on this subject matter were reviewed, especially those of Christian literatures, magazines and lecture materials, some literature books such as textbooks, commentaries, concordances. Dictionaries, Handouts. Bibles from LIFE Theological Seminary Library and personal Library.
The researcher also consulted the internet for information on this subject matter. And of course various document from the Christ Apostolic Church, Ibadan.
Lastly, Questionnaire where also administered to members, Pastor and other leaders of’ the church used as case study to gather relevant information for a reliable compilation.

1.10 DEFINITION OF TERMS

The following words shall be given a proper definition as to the way they are to be used in this research project to enhance more understanding for the readers.

Morality: This is human attempt to define what is right and wrong about our actions and thoughts, and what is good and bad about our being and who we are.

Sexual impropriety: The quality of not being in accord with standards of right of good conduct.

Church: The word church is the group of believers. The word “church” is used to refer to the building where people congregate with other Christians. Also, it is referred to a particular grouping of churches or denomination. Biblically, “church” means either universal church or local church. The universal church refers to all member s of the body of Christ in all places and all ages.

Growth: This can he defined as the positive increase in size over a period of time.

Church Growth: This is the process of the church as a living organism to increase quantitatively and mature qualitatively in response to the great commission of the Lord Jesus Christ

REFERENCES

Bates, B. R. (2016). From presumption to revelation: Sexual misconduct and the Catholic Church. Theology Today, 73(1), 80-96. doi: 10.1177/0040573616670039

Bolen, R. M. (2019). Wounded Churches, Wounded People: Sexual Misconduct in Congregations and the Effects on the Congregation. Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling, 73(4), 257-263. doi: 10.1177/0566982X19874447

Bradshaw, C. P., Sawyer, A. L., & O’Brennan, L. M. (2008). Bullying and peer victimization at school: Perceptual differences between students and school staff. School Psychology Review, 37(3), 319-332.

Henderson, N. (2019). Just like me: Evangelical leaders and the rise of the nones. Oxford University Press.

Key, E. C. (2020). Power, Hierarchy and Sexual Violence: Sexual Misconduct Within Religious Institutions. Sexual Violence Research Initiative. Retrieved from https://www.svri.org/power-hierarchy-and-sexual-violence-sexual-misconduct-within-religious-institutions

Sanders, J. (2018). The #MeToo Movement and the Church: Responding to Sexual Violence and Misconduct. Journal of Religion and Abuse, 19(2), 121-139. doi: 10.1080/10926771.2018.1458932

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