Dr. Diane Langberg: Understanding Adult Clergy Abuse

Guest Bios

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If a pastor or someone in spiritual authority lures a married adult into a sexual relationship—is that abuse or an affair? And can an adult engage in a sexual relationship, but not be culpable because she was manipulated by a sexual predator?

On this episode of The Roys Report, Julie explores this very difficult and sensitive issue with Dr. Diane Langberg. Dr. Langberg is a practicing psychologist with 47 years of clinical experience working with trauma survivors and clergy. And her most recent book, Redeeming Power, reveals how authority can be abused in the church.

This issue of adult clergy abuse is particularly relevant after last week's podcast episode featuring Katie Roberts. Katie is a married woman who says her sexual relationship with her seminary professor, Dr. Art Azurdia, was abuse, not an affair. 

Clearly, Dr. Azurdia was in a position of power over Roberts. And what Roberts described in the podcast was definitely predatory behavior.

Yet a sizable number of listeners objected, saying that an adult cannot be groomed by another adult. And even if Roberts was groomed, they believe she’s still culpable for her behavior.

Is that true? Or is there something many in the church are missing about the nature of adult abuse?

Julie explores these issues in this enlightening podcast with world-renowned expert on abuse and trauma, Dr. Langberg. 

Katie Roberts has also written an article on how she came to view her relationship with Dr. Azurdia as abuse, not an affair. To read that article, click here.

Diane Langberg Ph.D.

Diane Langberg, Ph.D. is globally recognized for her 47 years of clinical work with trauma victims. She has trained caregivers and church leaders on six continents on how to recognize and respond to trauma and the abuse of power in a healing way. Her most recent book is Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church (Brazos).

Show Transcript

SPEAKERS

KATIE ROBERTS, JULIE ROYS, DR. DIANE LANGBERG.

JULIE ROYS 00:04

If a pastor or someone in spiritual authority, lures unmarried adult into a sexual relationship, is that abuse or an affair? And can an adult engage in a sexual relationship but not be culpable because she was manipulated by a sexual predator? Welcome to The Roys Report, a podcast dedicated to reporting the truth and restoring the church. I’m Julie Roys. And today I’m going to be exploring this very difficult and sensitive issue with Dr. Diane Langberg. Dr. Langberg is a practicing psychologist with 47 years of clinical experience working with trauma survivors and clergy. And her most recent book, Redeeming Power, explores how authority can be abused in the church. In fact, in November, I recorded an entire podcast with Dr. Langberg on that book. So if you like this podcast, and I’m pretty sure you will, because Dr. Langberg is brilliant, you may want to go back and listen to that previous podcast. But here’s why I invited Dr. Langberg on now to discuss the issue of adult clergy abuse. Last week I published a podcast with Katie Roberts. Katie is a married woman who says her sexual relationship with her seminary professor, Dr. Art Azurdia, was abuse not an affair, and I agreed with her. Clearly Dr. Azurdia already was in a position of power over Roberts. And what Roberts described in our podcast was definitely predatory behavior. But I’ve received a lot of comments concerning that podcast and there were a sizable number who said that an adult cannot be groomed by another adult. And even if Roberts was groomed, she’s still culpable for her behavior. To be honest, Katie’s culpability was not the focus of my podcast. My focus was and is on exposing predators in the church. And I don’t feel it’s my place to judge victims of abuse and their culpability. That said, the podcast does raise some important issues. And I think as a church, we have a long way to go in understanding abuse. So I’m very much looking forward to discussing this issue