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Quick to Listen

Reeling from the Jean Vanier Abuse Allegations?

Quick to Listen

Christianity Today

Religion, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality

4.3622 Ratings

🗓️ 26 February 2020

⏱️ 63 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Transcribed highlights of the show can be found in our episode summaries. When Jean Vanier died last year at age 90, his life and his ministry of working with people with disabilities was nearly universally celebrated. “We don’t often find people born into privilege and status, and highly educated, who then follow the downward path of Jesus,” wrote Bethany McKinney Fox. “But as founder of L’Arche International, Vanier spent decades in community with people with and without intellectual disabilities and embraced the joys, complications, and demands that go along with such a life.” Then, last weekend, L’Arche International released a report, looking over a 30-year span, stating that multiple women told an investigative team about experiences of sexual assault with Vanier. “The relationships involved various kinds of sexual behavior often combined with so-called ‘mystical and spiritual’ justifications for this conduct,” it stated. The report went on to say that the women provided, “sufficient evidence to establish that Jean Vanier engaged in manipulative sexual relationships with at least 6 adult (not disabled) women. This number does not presume that there were no other cases, but takes into account spontaneously received testimony.”This news comes at a time when many are undoubtedly exhausted by the number of scandals and exploits of high-profile leaders.“ Right now, that this is starting to feel very routine is pointing to the fact that the church has done a very poor job of dealing with issues of sexuality and spirituality and power,” said Ruth Haley Barton, the founder of the Transforming Center, an ecumenical leadership organization. “We just don't talk about them and we haven't helped our leaders in our clergy know how to be with themselves around these issues.” For Barton, one of the keys for leaders is submitting themselves to spiritual direction. “It really is almost a non-negotiable if you want to stay the course and stay on your own journey of transformation, stay on your own journey of encounter with God while you are leading others,” she said. “You've just got to have this place outside the limelight where you can bring your whole self.” Barton joined digital media producer Morgan Lee and editorial director Ted Olsen to discuss how to handle anger when learning these frustrating revelations, how to look at the relationship between power and sexuality, and how to process this seemingly never-ending bad news of disappointing leaders without losing your faith. What is Quick to Listen? Read more Rate Quick to Listen on Apple Podcasts Follow the podcast on Twitter Follow our hosts on Twitter: Morgan Lee and Ted Olsen Read If You See Something Say Something Learn more about the Transforming Center Listen to Quick to Listen: Episode 160: Jean Vanier’s Faith Convicts All of Us Music by Sweeps Quick to Listen is produced by Morgan Lee and Matt Linder The transcript is edited by Bunmi Ishola Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

This episode is brought to you in part by The Apologetics Guy Show, the podcast that helps you find clear answers to tough questions about Christianity.

0:11.1

Learn to explain your faith with courage and compassion.

0:14.5

Join Moody Bible Institute professor Dr. Mikhail del Rosario at Apologeticsky.com.

0:24.0

About eight months ago, Mark Galley and I recorded episode 160 on Jean Vanier, a Canadian

0:31.7

Catholic who was the founder of Larch, a global community where able people lived alongside

0:36.7

those with disabilities.

0:38.8

In the podcast, I discussed his integrity, and I mentioned that I got the impression that

0:43.3

Vanier really lived what he preached. I said this, that basically that kind of tension that I

0:50.1

see in lots of people between almost picking one or other sometimes feels much more unified

0:54.8

in him. This past week, I learned I was wrong. According to a report released by Larsh International

1:00.9

over the weekend, over a 30-year span, multiple women told an investigative team about experiences

1:06.6

of sexual assault with Jean Vanier. I'm going to quote from this report.

1:11.5

The relationships involved various kinds of sexual behavior,

1:14.6

often combined with so-called mystical and spiritual justifications for this conduct.

1:18.5

The report went on to say that they provided, by they, meaning, these women,

1:24.4

quote, sufficient evidence to establish that Jean Vanier engaged in manipulative

1:29.1

sexual relationships with at least six adults, not disabled women. This number does not presume

1:35.2

that there were no other cases, but takes into account spontaneously received testimony. So this

1:40.4

news comes at a time when there are many who are undoubtedly exhausted about the number of

1:45.4

scandals and exploits of high-profile leaders. The near universal praise with which John

1:50.5

Vanier's life was celebrated makes this even harder. And we wanted to discuss how to process

1:55.9

the seemingly never-ending bad news of disappointing Christian leaders without losing your faith.

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