No.
I am not sure they should have hired the teacher but it seems like he is equating a school teacher with a minister. They are not the same.
Long article. Short answer. No.
As an across the board proposition? No. Possibly, in some cases? Sure. Depends on the transgression(s) and a host of other factors.
As a general rule, if you’ve fallen in a way that is notorious, you should take your place in the pews. You should not return to a public position in the church or a church organization.
If you are in a public position, and you know you are skating toward the edge, you should step aside quietly and work out your issues out of the public eye.
People in the ministry face pressures and temptations that most of us don’t face, and won’t understand, and they have the additional problem that their mistakes are therefore more public. It goes with the territory. If you mess up publicly in a way that you can recover without bringing disrepute, fine. Some have been able to incorporate what happened into their ministry. But beyond a certain point, you should not try to hold on to your position, but go get a job like anyone else.
I agree with his article.
When a Christian leader falls due to moral sin (theirs a word we don’t hear much anymore) he can certainly be restored to fellowship, but he has squandered and forfeited his right to lead.
I’m in that position as a senior volunteer leader of a national youth ministry. I believe the qualifications of an elder in Scripture in I Timothy and Titus apply to people like me as well. That knowledge and conviction prevents me from wanting to do something stupid.
One common failure of Christian clergy that has been around since at least the 1920s, is one of moral polarity. That is, they divide the world in half between good and evil.
The failure in this is that good needs constant attention for individuals to remain good, but if someone sins at all, an irresistible force on the side of evil will grab them and drag them across the dividing line. That is, they are damned with no hope of reform or redemption.
The result of this can go in a few directions, all bad. One is that they want to tempt themselves by leering and gawking at grotesque things they consider evil, but no touching.
Perhaps the worst of these directions is their assumption that since because of their sin they are damned, that there is no need for them to hold back, that they are free to wallow in the pig sty of evil.
For this reason, it is best that once they have been caught and punished, that they must face an arduous road to redemption to just again become one of the faithful. From there, any path for them to again become clergy must start over from scratch.
A bank President, is found to be taking money from widows accounts, putting them into a private account. He practices FRAUD, pilfering money, and lying on documents. ARE YOU GOING TO PUT HIM BACK IN AS PRESIDENT OF THE BANK AFTER YOU PROVE THE EVIDENCE IS TRUE AND HE HAS BROKEN YOUR TRUST?
A better question: when will churches be permitted to meet again?
Isn’t up to the flock to follow the preacher? Just because someone wants to stand up and minister...they need a following in order to do that.
So, that makes this a moot point. No one “allows” anyone else to minister—fallen or not. And, we’ve all sinned. You can forgive, but it doesn’t mean letting that person back into your life in an influential role?
What happened to common sense?
Isn’t up to the flock to follow the preacher? Just because someone wants to stand up and minister...they need a following in order to do that.
So, that makes this a moot point. No one “allows” anyone else to minister—fallen or not. And, we’ve all sinned. You can forgive, but it doesn’t mean letting that person back into your life in an influential role?
What happened to common sense?
I will say (and try desperately to remind myself about ALL that the Bible says about the need for humility) the flock should most likely be looking for someone who practices what he preaches.
Doesn’t the flock take on the same witness/testimony as the shepherd? What you tolerate says a lot about who you are.
NO.
Our Pastor turned out to be a pedophile and is still in jail where he belongs.
Depends on what the moral failing was committed. We ALL fail morally at some times, some things are way bigger than other things.
As an example; looking at porn verses committing adultery, the case Biblical can be made morally they are the same.
Is it ?
Not in that kind of position again.
We all have areas of weakness and to put someone in a position again where he already demonstrated a weakness, is asking for trouble.
Pedophiles? NEVER
Adulterers?
Maybe but after a long waiting period and clear signs of repentance. I am often willing to give people a 2nd chance but not a 3rd.
In a leadership role? No. They can return to the body of the ministry, but not in a leadership position.
It depends on the offense. Sex offenders - never.
How The Ancient Catholic Church Dealt With Priest Sex Offenders
https://www.ucatholic.com/blog/how-the-ancient-catholic-church-dealt-with-priest-sex-offenders/
Seek forgiveness by going to Confession.