Spiritual Abuse Definition Debated by UK Christians
“Cases of Steve Timmis and Jonathan Fletcher illustrate debate over at what point a pastor’s exhortation crosses the line into coercion.” - CToday
Notice that what the article is discussing is a legal definition of the term in England—so what’s going on could really pose a risk to independent theology. I can even envision a situation where someone “shown the door” at a church for unrepentant sin could respond with a civil suit or possibily even criminal charges.
That noted, it’s important for us to figure out the line between legitimate exhortation and spiritual manipulation or abuse. In our circles, we tend to have a fair number of “rules for insiders”, and I’d guess it’s going to become increasingly important for us to help church members understand precisely what they signed up for.
Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.
Discussion