Back in the early 1990s, a friend loaned me a copy of "Integrity" by Richard Dortch, an account of the problems at the now-defunct PTL Network that wound up with founder Jim Bakker and the author going to prison.
Years later, an anecdote from that book sticks with me. Dortch told of driving through central Florida, distraught over his imminent sentencing date and his failure to correct the abuses at PTL that led to his downfall.
Burdened and feeling a desire to confess his sins to a confidante, he considered going to several evangelical churches. Yet, holding him back was the fear that as soon as he walked out, whatever pastor he visited would be on the phone to a friend, saying, "You'll never guess who just left my office" or some other, similar message.
Finally, Dortch went to a Catholic church, confident that he could pour out his heart to a priest without it winding up on a church "hotline" or otherwise circulated for public inspection and discussion.
Going national with confessions
I couldn't help thinking of Dortch's story recently when I saw Stacy Peterson's former pastor on the Fox News channel, telling Greta Van Sustern that the woman confided in him that her husband admitted killing his third wife.
While on staff at Westbrook Christian Church, Neil Schori said Mrs. Peterson—who has been missing since October—told him in August that Drew Peterson confessed the killing to her.
Ironically, Schori never reported the confession to police. That has sparked discussions among pastors about whether he should have gone on national television to reveal the conversation, even if his goals were noble.
One respondent to a blog on the issue pointed out the inherent problems with treating confessions as truth: at one church, a woman told the pastor she was being abused by her husband and needed help. After he helped freeze their bank account, contacted the police and arranged for an attorney to represent the woman, it turned out her allegations were fabricated.
Limits on confidentiality
I'm well aware that many states have placed limits on the confidentiality of pastoral-parishioner confessions, particularly when it comes to clerics learning of sexual abuse.
Recently, three pastors in Colorado experienced legal problems for failing to report sexual abuse by a church member, who reportedly fondled children during church functions.
Yet, aside from the legal, ethical and moral concerns raised by the Peterson case, I think the publicity surrounding it raises an equally important issue.
In a day when even the smallest of towns can find themselves thrust into the national limelight via 24-7 cable news outlets, Internet blogs and ever-present packs of paparazzi, can parishioners trust their pastors to keep a confidence?
Keeping a confidence
Evangelical churches are big on walking the aisle, trusting in God, believing in his Word and enthusiastic praise, all qualities that I found attractive after growing up in a more staid, mainline environment.
However, when it comes to learning that not everyone wants his or her problems to become widespread "prayer concerns," the evangelical church has a long way to go—as Dortch's experience shows.
The lines of revealing discussions aren't always bright. But when it comes to cases much less sensational than murder or sexual abuse, people should be able to trust their pastor to maintain a confidence. Especially in the electronic village in which we now live.
