Perspective, Power and Theology

I just returned from a run listening to a BBC podcast and it got me questionning not only the issue discussed, child protection, but also the more general issue of perspective and power. Two years ago a diocese in Ireland was found to have a large number of clergy who were abusing children. Not only that, but the Bishop, John Magee, was seen as turning a blind eye. Ian Elliott, was appointed "the Irish Catholic's Church child protection watchdog" and 20 months later he has produced guidelines for the Diocese to follow. One of the guidelines is that the Bishop is investigate all reported abuses. We then heard from a woman, Mary, who fifty years ago was abused by a priest and the Bishop did nothing. She finds the new guidelines insufficient for protecting children and one of her issues is the Bishop not being qualified to investigate the abuse. Ian Elliott responded by saying that the guidelines were written such that the Bishop could appoint and even hire someone who was a professional. Herein lies the problem, Mary doesn't trust that the Bishop will do so because of ego and/or power. She believes that Bishops will believe that because they are "bishops" they can do anything. It's perspective--Ian Elliott said that he would hope than any Bishop would recognize his human limitations and respond accordingly; Mary wants it in writing that no Bishop is trained to be the investigator and MUST hire from the outside.

Perspective and power. Ideally I'd like to believe that all Bishops would respond as Ian Elliott thinks they will. Just as I'd like to believe that all people in any position would not allow the power of their position or office to stand in the way of the greater good for humanity, but I also have a realistic side that knows that is probably not going to happen 100% of the time. It also makes me ponder the concept of perspective. How do we minister to people who come from a different perspective than we do? We have to listen and really hear; we have to be willing to leave our "power" at the door and be with people where they are, and they have to be willing to speak out. I think we also have to know ourselves and the perspectives form which we operate. It's a complex world, many perspectives, good power and evil power and overwhelming if we don't remain in dialouge and in community.