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This book calls on churches to face structures and processes in their organisations that inhibit personal autonomy and undermine faith. Religious knowledge should empower all individuals. Openness, mutual accountability, and personal authenticity are paramount where religious faith is proclaimed. There is a paradox where spiritual abuse occurs in churches.
While acknowledging continuing
good does exist in religious organisations, Cara Beed seeks higher levels of responsibility
from hierarchies throughout mainstream churches. While applauding the many demonstrations
of accountability visible in the wider organisations representing the fullest range
of the churches, Cara Beed calls on the churches to face the structures and processes
in their organisations which inhibit personal autonomy, undermine the dignity of
faith and inhibit personal contributions to the community of faith.
Structures and processes can be, and are, used to bind individuals and groups in
forms of spiritual abuse. All forms of secrecy and any forms of physical, mental
and emotional abuse contribute to spiritual abuse. Churches must ensure these aspects
of human behaviour are not encouraged by the very nature of the church organisation.
Openness, acknowledgment of truth and dignity of individuals are paramount where
espousal of religious faith is promulgated. The paradox of church organisation being
conducive to spiritual abuse must end.
This timely exposé of the misuse of religious power not only defines patterns of abuse, but highlights avenues for positive change.
DISCUSSIONS OF THIS BOOK
Geraldine Doogue
interviewed
Cara Beed for a segment that was included
in the ABC TV program "Compass"
in the episode "My Prayers, My People"
aired on ABC Television
on Sunday 6 December, 1998 at 10.10 p.m.
_________________
Cara Beed presented a seminar on:
FAMILIES MONITORING CULTURES OF SECRECY AND ABUSE
at the AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF FAMILY STUDIES
on Thursday 3 December, 1998
from 11a.m. to 12 noon
in the AIFS Staff Seminar Room,
Australian Institute of Family Studies,
300 Queen Street, Melbourne, 3000.
Information: Grace Soriano on 9214 7860
Book Contents
Acknowledgements
Authors Note
Foreword by Dr Ian Freckelton, BarristerAdjunct Professor of Law and Legal Studies,
La Trobe University;
Honorary Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine, Monash University.
Section One Cultures of Secrecy and Abuse
Chapter 1 Introduction
Abuse And Bullying
The Culture of Abuse
Church-based Pastoral Care
The Culture of Secrecy
Pain in the Community
Personal Autonomy
Spiritual Abuse
Chapter 2 Breaking Secrecy and Isolation
Opening up the Silence
Taking Action
Churches Found Wanting
Legal Scrutiny and Public Discussion
Chapter 3 Truth, Awareness, Power
Being Able to Tell the Truth
Truth and Survival
Towards Understanding
Misuse of Power
Trust Misdirected
Section Two Recognising Potential for Abuse
Chapter 4 Structures, Processes, Leaders
Definitions
Control by Leaders
Methods of Control Over Members
Veneration of Leaders as a Form of Control
Chapter 5 Mind Control, Leadership, Standards
Mind Control
Aberrant Secret Behaviour by Leaders
Lack of Accountability of Leadership and Group
Dependency of Participants, Not Independence
Questionable Sense of Community in Group
Who Joins Such Groups?
Isolation of Participants from Families and Friends
Leaving Such Groups and Its Effects
Responses by Churches
Chapter 6 Possible Ways Forward
About Change
Responsibilities of Churches
Recognising Potential for Abuse
Table 1 Processes Conducive to Abuse
Alternative Directions
Accountability
Independent Intervention Needed
Open Discussion and Education
Bibliography
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE
Cara Beed retired in 1995 as lecturer in sociology and Graduate Advisor in the Education
Faculty, Christ Campus, Australian Catholic University. After an earlier career in
the 1960s and 1970s directing creative arts, play and leisure programs for arts organisations,
travelling nationally consulting on community arts for the Australia Council, Cara
returned to study. While completing her graduate studies, prior to 1985, she lectured
part time at RMIT and sessionally at other tertiary institutions. Cara retired to
devote her attention to writing.
Cara and Clive Beed married in 1961. Their married son lives in London and married daughter in Melbourne. During the 1960s the Beeds contributed much of their time to establishing and extending child care and pre-school education at Melbourne University. To these, they added creative arts programs, as part of the Creative School Holiday Club which they founded to conduct arts workshops throughout metropolitan Melbourne in the 1960s and 1970s. Cara was a jogger until she took up regular swimming and water running.
Cara's main research interests
focus on how cultures and ideologies affect 'personal autonomy' in contrast to the
abuse of power in organisations and the community. She has been engaged in researching
aspects of culture, ideologies and 'legitimate knowledge', as these relate to 'personal
autonomy', power in organisations and limiting community action. To date, this research
has been published in two strands: on homeless young people, and on secrecy about
abuse in organisations such as the family, work place and in the church. Ideals held
by homeless young people on the cohesion of home life have been published (Scripture
Union Victoria, 1991; Interlogue, 1994; and Millenium, 1996). Two of her articles
have been published on Youth Suicide ( Kairos, Oct. - Nov., 1993 & March 1994)
and the paper on 'The culture of secrecy' appears in a book: Bullying: Causes,
Costs & Cures (Beyond Bullying Association Inc., 1998).
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Cara worked with mothers in relation to their
power to effect the ideals they expressed for their children's social programs. She
compared these ideals with available programs in local government areas, and conducted
action research with the mothers to create the social programs they aspired for their
children. This work developed from Cara's consulting in Arts and Recreation (1960
& 1970s), when she was a member of advisory committees and the Consultant in
Community Arts to the Australia Council (for the Arts). Cara's work involved advisory
committee membership, national advisory tours, liaising with local governments and
community groups in action research to pilot programs, and documenting trends that
contributed to the founding of the Community Arts Board.
Cara works with Clive, also a retired academic, sharing research, writing and publishing in areas related to their knowledge and experience. Both came from families with highly developed social and political consciousness. They combined this awareness with their tertiary education in a search for personal faith on which to base their values and ethics for their family life, careers and writing. Their searches led them through a full gamut of political and religious parameters, during which they observed the reduction of personal autonomy amongst members of many groups.