Explanation

In the research done by the House of Deputies Taskforce on Sexual Harassment and Abuse, it quickly became clear that a major element in this issue was the unchecked behavior of some laity within the church--whether in a parish setting, or employed in an institutional setting. Because the current provisions of Title IV apply only to ordained clergy, should a lay leader offend against a clergy person, the only response up until now has been to remove the clergyperson--the victim--from the situation. This has been experienced as an additional layer of trauma, and often has led to additional bad behavior on the part of the layperson in question. This proposed revision would hold both volunteer lay leaders and employed laity in church-affiliated institutions accountable to the same standards of behavior as the clergy, and provide a mechanism for addressing bad behavior before it escalates. At the same time, it retains the distinction between the clerical and lay orders, with regards to theology and obedience to the bishop.