MINISTRY AND SEXUALITY
Cases Counseling and Care

This book offers relevant insights regarding the clergy role in society and congregation, then demonstrates how this unique role includes at-risk situations for sexual misconduct. Case studies and therapies are offered to help clergy and the church understand different types of sexual misconduct. It offers the model of “Intimacy,” as a guide to healthy sexual relationships.

“All church leaders need to recognize the real problems that Rediger addresses. Unless clergy and church leaders take the difficult steps to name the issues and to deal with them openly, they risk being blindsided by their own needs, and they increase the danger of being trapped in irresponsible, harmful, and even illegal sexual behavior. In this book, Rediger prompts the needed discussion. He provides the tools for developing responsible administrative guidelines and clergy support systems in order to deal with issues of sexuality.”
—Donald A. Tubesing, Whole Person Associates, author of Kicking Your Stress Habits

“Dr. Rediger is a highly skilled pastor with long and successful experience working with clergy and chaplains. This experience has produced a wisdom that can be sensed in every chapter of this book. Dr. Rediger’s combination of case studies and frank discussion will be helpful to clergy seeking to understand the meaning of sexuality in their ministry and personal spiritual development, denominational executives facing an increasing number of sexually oriented personnel problems, and congregational leaders wanting to be responsible as their pastor faces a time of difficulty.”
—Bishop David J. Lawson, Wisconsin Area, United Methodist Church

“Lloyd Rediger is not an outsider involved in clergy bashing or uncovering yet another reason to criticize the church. He is one of us, and he cares about the church, both its clergy and the community they are called to serve.... Rediger offers a strategy and some specific guidelines that emphasize responsible action to assist the church in supporting those in trouble.”
—Major General Stuart E. Barstad, (Retired) Chaplain, U.S. Air Force

“Wise counsel on a topic of increasing concern to the church and ministry. The richness of Rediger’s experience in ministry to clergy is evident in this book.”
—John Patton, Professor of Pastoral Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary

“Dr. Rediger examines the critical dynamics that arise when religious leaders confront sexual ethics and the inevitable pain that ensues when ethics are compromised. Many facets of sexuality and spirituality are examined, and measures to prevent clergy misconduct are suggested. This is an important book on a vital topic facing contemporary religion.”
—Lloyd G. Sinclair, Midwest Center for Sex Therapy, Madison, Wisconsin

“Dr. Rediger has opened for frank and candid discussion the whole area of clergy sexuality and its attendant consequences. The church needs to address these issues in an open and helpful way, and this book is the beginning of that journey—a journey that all Christians must share.”
—The Rt. Rev. Roger J. White, Episcopal Bishop of Milwaukee

“Sexual practices of clergy differ little from other persons. Dr. Rediger has clearly opened the case for informed discussion of clergy sexual issues. His candid, empathic, and astutely informed understanding of ministers, priests, and rabbis brings from the hush of whispered gossip to informed public discussion the sexual strengths and vulnerabilities of religious professionals. This is a daring venture to underscore public trust by open and frank discussion of lives that have been hurt by sexual problems. This is a helpful book because it points to ways for preventative as well as curative action for troubled clergy.”
—James W. Ewing, Director of Pastoral Care and Counseling,
   United States International University

“Lloyd Rediger is informed, sympathetic, and above all, honest to clergy and their families. Reading the book made me hope that clergy and the churches would learn from his professional experiences a similar honesty and caring love. An important book for clergy, their families, and church leaders.”
—Denham Grierson, Executive Secretary, Victorian Council of Christian Education,|
  Australia

“This book explores pastoral issues surrounding sexuality and ministry. Rediger suggests ‘human’ clergy are sexual creatures and this necessitates his book. Clergy status, however, as ‘persons set apart’ makes discussion of sexuality burdensome to the church.... Rediger desires to confront all issues of clergy sexuality, then honestly deal with them.... For pastors, this useful book will enlighten—personally and professionally.”
—David N. Mosser, The Clergy Journal

“From many years experience as a clergy counselor in the US, Dr. Rediger gives an account of cases of sexual problems amongst clergy, from affairs and rape to paedophilia. The range of primarily male clergy problems with regard to sexuality, and sexual excess and misdemeanour, is perhaps not surprising at a time when society has idolized genital sexual expression and satisfaction in such a ways as seriously to distort human sexuality, removing it from its essential context in human communion. Rediger offers a code of sexual ethics for clergy which is useful....”
—Michael Northcott, Theological Book Review

“This book deals with a variety of topics from affairs to pedophilia; however, the best sections focus on prevention and support of clergy persons. All pastors, bishops, and other church executives could benefit from this book as it helps to identify the problems of sexual disorders and misconduct among ordained persons and introduces suggestions for developing a professional ethic, responding more appropriately to offenders and assisting clergy in maintaining healthy intimate relationships as a way to prevent unhealthy ones.”
—L. William Mitcham, Jr., Augsburg Fortress Book Newsletter

“I commend Rediger’s work ... because it is grounded in clinical experience and because it affirms human sexuality and ‘positive sensuous spirituality’ as gifts from God. Also, his efforts to name and pursue clear and compassionate strategies in response to sexual dilemmas, and to develop ethical guidelines for pastors, are valuable ventures in an ongoing conversation in sexual issues of clergy.”
—Nancy J. Gorsuch, Presbyterian Outlook

“G. Lloyd Rediger ... offers many true life stories and the wisdom gained from working with the people in them. He tells about the ‘star’ factor which can lead to sexual malfeasance. He describes some aspects of sexual addiction and other levels of ‘acting out.’ He deals with a variety of topics from affairs to masturbation. He concludes with some hopes for a more enjoyable and integrated sexuality in clergy families and with very constructive suggestions for personal and church support, discipline, and vision for care for this aspect of human life together.... Church officials, seminary professors, pastors, seminary students, congregational leaders and teachers, all, will learn by reading this book.”
—Leland Elhard, Trinity Seminary Review

“The book [Ministry & Sexuality] is a helpful one, in that it places a difficult issue openly before us and points to some new directions for pastors to enhance their health in their stress-filled, vulnerable positions.”
—Carol Westphal, Reformed Review

“Rediger offers both guidance for counseling those who have already been hurt, and tools for developing parish administrative guidelines to deal constructively with sexuality issues. This is a compassionate and highly professional resource for individuals, therapists, congregations and dioceses.”
—Audrey DeLaMartre, Sober Lines

“This book should have wide distribution and wide consideration by clergy and lay persons of all persuasions.”
—Sharing the Practice

“Rediger’s gift to readers and their ecclesial communities is a humane and lucid invitation to deal responsibly with incidents and issues of clergy sexual malfeasance.... Rediger challenge[s] all readers to deal with the data that they may not like, but that shout out something about the human, and more specifically the clergy, situation. The invitation to dialogue about the need for sexual ethics in the ministry, for support structures for clergy, and for placing the dialogue within the perspectives of a contemporary sexual theology must not be argued.”
—Anne Wooddell Heath and Peggy Ann Way, Princeton Seminary Bulletin

“One of the goals of Rediger’s book is to help clergy monitor their own sexual behavior. Pastors are no longer protected by a good-old-boy network that ignores the issue of justice for victims, nor can clergy hide behind laws that end up punishing victims rather than perpetrators.... Rediger, who spent 19 years as a confidential counselor to clergy, says that when the legal system began dealing with cases of clergy abusing parishioners, the whole process of church law was turned upside down. Today, bishops and church executives put themselves in jeopardy when they cover up abuse by insisting that victims forgive the offending pastor.”
—Clark Morphew, Saint Paul Pioneer Press

Foreword by James B. Nelson
Preface
Introduction

Part One: Counseling, Clergy, and Victims
1 Counseling Clergy with Sexual Problems
2 The Star Factor
3 Sexual Victims

Part Two: Cases in Clergy Sexual Malfeasance
4 Sexual Addiction
5 Affairs
6 Incest
7 Pedophilia
8 Rape
9 Sexual Harassment

Part Three: Cases in Other Clergy Sexual Issues
10 Homosexual Orientation
11 Masturbation
12 Sexual Incompatibility
13 Sexual Torment
14 Transvestism

Part Four: Care for Clergy Sexuality
15 Guides to a Clergy Sexual Ethic
16 Prevention and Support
17 Celibacy and Nouvelle Sex
18 Intimacy

Selected Bibliography