In Theory: Should a sex offender be allowed back into the fold?
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Dale Hoffert Jr. is a former youth pastor in Oklahoma City who in 2007 was convicted of forcible sodomy, spent time in prison, was released on a suspended sentence earlier this year and is now a registered sex offender. Hoffert was recently invited by his church to attend a Children’s Crusade, sparking outrage in at least one mother who objected to his presence, despite receiving assurances Hoffert was not allowed to be alone with any children.
Pastor John Steiger of Highway of Holiness Church defended the decision to allow Hoffert to participate in the event. “They sentenced him. He paid his debt to society,” Steiger said. “We’re a church that believes that God can change people.”
Q: If you were in Steiger’s shoes, would you include the convicted sex offender in church functions? If so, would you take any steps to prepare other attendees ahead of time?
Christians may be sanctified, but we are not yet glorified, and sinners all, we are in process through our sainthood, which is fraught with failures, setbacks, and perpetual repentance. As one bumper sticker puts it, “Not Perfect, Just Forgiven.” That’s the truth of things, and at least we can say we’re trying to be divinely good, but only with the aid of God’s Spirit.
Now say we have a problem to overcome. Should we tempt ourselves to failure, or should we strengthen ourselves with restraint and wise distance? I think the latter, so when I hear of someone who not only has a sinful problem, but has one that victimized an innocent and landed the perpetrator in jail, I have to shake my head in wonder when his pastor invites him to the candy store of the man’s sinful proclivity.
No, forgiveness is a good and sure thing, but wisdom says that some things should probably not be pushed this side of eternity, and I wouldn’t have a past pedophile ever facilitate child-oriented activities. I know small churches have few helping hands, and we often grasp for any volunteers we can get, but you don’t invite unnecessary risk, and you must protect your flock from unnecessary dangers. If Hoffert molested a child, then child ministry is off the plate for him. Forgiven though he may be by God and government, nobody wants to test an addict’s wagon with their own offspring. Accept him at church; let him come to the various activities that grow him up spiritually and responsibly, but don’t throw him into precarious positions of leadership over kids. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14 NIV). Woe to the hinderers and their enablers.
The Rev. Bryan Griem
Montrose Community Church
Montrose
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One of the difficult tasks for believers, and especially ordained believers (pastors or ministers), is to put into practice God’s forgiveness and to put into practice the idea that God changes people. My faith tells me that God forgives and that God does change people. However, I personally would be a little bit slow in welcoming a sex offender back to the fold! If I did, I would make darn sure he knew he was not to have any contact with any child by himself, and I would let all parents know that strict safeguards were in place for the forgiven sex offender’s visit!
Also, I would have a private meeting with the convicted child of God and explain my position: that I knew he had paid his debt to society and I believed he had been forgiven. Still, I was running a church, and some of my members were afraid of his being anywhere near a child — so I must insist for the good of the church and the safety of its children that he toe the line and not be anywhere he shouldn’t be. I would tell him that I personally forgave him, or was trying hard to do so, and I would hope that in his new life he would show respect for others — not only the children he should stay away from, but also the pastor or pastors who — like God — wanted to give him a second chance.
The Rev. Skip Lindeman
La Cañada Congregational Church
La Cañada Flintridge
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One dark night, a wolf attacked a sheepfold, and dragged off a sheep to eat it. Just as the wolf was finishing his meal, the shepherd woke up and saw what had happened, and threw a large rock at the wolf, hitting him hard enough that the wolf yelped in pain. Then the shepherd said, “There, that’s done; come on in now, and spend the rest of the night in my sheepfold.”
Not.
Repentance and forgiveness do not result in the removal of consequences. God may and, knowing God, probably does love Dale; and those around him are free to love him too. But you don’t put the wolf back in the sheepfold. The consequences of his actions are that Hoffert can’t be around other people’s children, at all ever.
I read online that the likelihood of a child molester repeating their crime is “only” around 20%. Sorry, but a 0.0000000001% chance is too high, isn’t it? I wouldn’t be OK with any child I know being around someone who “might but probably won’t molest them,” would you?
And no, I wouldn’t invite the guy to adult church functions either. Hoffert’s actions have destroyed the happiness and wellness of that congregation for decades to come. Needing to leave that church forever has to be somewhere near the top of a very long list of consequences.
If Pastor Steiger wants to maintain his own humane, forgiving relationship with Hoffert, that’s fine. It’s his decision, and maybe it’s even admirably Christian.
But no, the wolf doesn’t get to come back into the fold.
The Rev. Amy Pringle
St. George’s Episcopal Church
La Cañada Flintridge
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This is a complex and highly emotional question, from the convicted felon to the juvenile victims to their families and friends to the clergy trying to keep a human being in a caring environment after they have violated a basic tenet of that community, safety. Judaism’s point of view, as was stated by my Ritual Chair, is that the foundation of repentance is direct, honest apology. To allow Dale Hoffert Jr. to merely attend the Crusade with an escort, for his protection as well as others, would not suffice. But having him make a public apology, give an address to the assembled body, or be part of a panel discussion advising parents on the dangers of pedophiles, these actions could go a long way to purifying his soul through the honest admission of his guilt, help heal his victims of their injury, and enable others to begin forgiving him, where they have not been before. Perhaps through his relating of incidents that had occurred, without breaching confidentiality, Dale Hoffert can help alert parents to the warning signs of an abusive situation or even to be proactive with their children when those children could find themselves in dangerous situations. While the magnitude of the crime is vast, may we all be reminded of the sentiment, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!”(NIV, John 8:7). And let us also remember, Mr. Hoffert has served his time, and he has not blamed God but squarely faced his sins and seeks repentance. May we all be so blessed to do so.
Rabbi Mark Sobel
Temple Beth Emet
Burbank
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Pastor Steiger is correct that convicted child molester Dale Hoffert Jr. should return to church. His crimes violated God’s law as well as the laws of society, so it is appropriate that he seek God’s forgiveness and he deserves the church’s help. However, the path to spiritual redemption doesn’t require that he participate in the youth programs. In my view, it definitely should not be permitted.
The legal system goes to great lengths to keep released sex offenders away from children because of the threat that they pose. Likewise, the church’s first priority is to protect the young.
The atonement of Christ offers the power to change our hearts and cleanse us from past sins. However, it doesn’t make us immune from temptation. Even if Hoffert has undergone that transformation, it’s unwise to put him in a situation that plays to his weakness. This is why the scriptures admonish us to flee from evil. If Hoffert truly wants to serve, he can be directed to programs for adults.
I am sure that Pastor Steiger acted out of a sense of compassion. Even so, I am surprised at his decision given the instances of in recent years of serial molestation of children by religious leaders who were repeatedly given opportunities to stop. The damage done to the children in these cases — physical, emotional and spiritual — is enormous. Likewise, the erosion of public confidence in clergy has been deep.
In the fourth chapter of Ephesians, Paul tells us we should not “give place to the devil.” A logical interpretation of this is that we should avoid those situations that tempt us. Yes, the Lord will help us resist temptation, but he also expects us to avoid needless exposure to evil, just as he expects us as parents and mentors to protect children from physical and spiritual harm.
Michael White
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
La Crescenta