Caroline
Puritan Board Sophomore
A question on church discipline policy...
When reading the OPC BCO, I see provisions for trials and also for erasures of people who have left the church, cannot be found, etc.
But suppose there is a person in the church who poses a serious threat to church members. Let's say for the sake of discussion that a man rapes a woman in the congregation. The case goes to authorities, the guy goes to jail for two years, but in the process of investigation, the church learns that the guy has a long history of lewd behavior toward young girls, even some in the congregation. They have reason to believe that he assaulted other women in the past as well, although he denies it.
But the guy insists that he has repented and turned over a new leaf, and as soon as he is out of jail, he is right back at the church again, sitting directly behind the woman that he assaulted two years before.
There doesn't seem to be any point in having a trial--he already had one and confessed himself guilty of the assault in question, which is all anyone has proof of. Is the church obligated to keep him on as a church member if he claims repentance?
A follow-up question: If the elders ask him to transfer to another church, are they required to transfer him as a member in good standing if he claims repentance? Is there a provision for the next place down the line being warned about him? (I think of the Roman Catholic church that kept transferring abusive priests and often keeping confidential the reasons for their transfer...)
When reading the OPC BCO, I see provisions for trials and also for erasures of people who have left the church, cannot be found, etc.
But suppose there is a person in the church who poses a serious threat to church members. Let's say for the sake of discussion that a man rapes a woman in the congregation. The case goes to authorities, the guy goes to jail for two years, but in the process of investigation, the church learns that the guy has a long history of lewd behavior toward young girls, even some in the congregation. They have reason to believe that he assaulted other women in the past as well, although he denies it.
But the guy insists that he has repented and turned over a new leaf, and as soon as he is out of jail, he is right back at the church again, sitting directly behind the woman that he assaulted two years before.
There doesn't seem to be any point in having a trial--he already had one and confessed himself guilty of the assault in question, which is all anyone has proof of. Is the church obligated to keep him on as a church member if he claims repentance?
A follow-up question: If the elders ask him to transfer to another church, are they required to transfer him as a member in good standing if he claims repentance? Is there a provision for the next place down the line being warned about him? (I think of the Roman Catholic church that kept transferring abusive priests and often keeping confidential the reasons for their transfer...)