Mission, Reform and Suffering: The Challenge of the Sexual Abuse Crisis in the Church

Abstract

This article considers three issues. The first is the nature of the Church’s missions and its relation to the mission of Jesus. This may help uncover at least one of the ways in which that mission may be perverted. The second is the nature of reform in the Church, identifying three dimensions of possible reform. And finally, it considers the question of suffering, suffering inflicted and suffering embraced as a path to reform.