“On the subject of religion, ministers, rabbis and other clergy are rich in cultural competency. Unfortunately, it turns out most lack sexuality training.
According to a 2008 Religious Institute survey of 438 progressive U.S. clergy, only 38 percent believed that their seminary education “adequately prepared me for dealing with sexuality issues in my congregation.” An even lower percentage of respondents – 35 percent – felt prepared to tackle lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues.”
“When one examines what clergy members are taught at seminary, it’s not surprising most don’t feel comfortable talking about sexuality. About 97 percent of American seminaries don’t require a semester-long sexuality course for students, reports Kate M. Ott, PhD, in a 2009 Religious Institute study titled “Sex and the Seminary: preparing Ministers for Sexual Health and Justice.”
“… In every congregation, people are dealing with sexuality issues,” Debra [Haffner, MDiv, MPH, co-founder of the Religious Institute] says. “By and large, clergy are not trained to deal with this. We need to break through the silence.”
Excerpt from “Sacred Sexuality” by Todd Melby published in AASECT’s Contemporary Sexuality periodical, February 2011.
———
I can see the repercussions of this study in actual human beings who have been hurt or under/misinformed about issues of sexuality taken on by a contextually, uneducated church. Ninety-Seven percent of American seminaries do not adequately prepare future pastors to counsel members of their congregations in issues of sexuality? Still, graduates all have to preach on it and counsel through it if people are brave enough to approach them about sexuality. What does that mean? Where does that education come from? Pastors? Seminarians?
There is some hope in Chicago - check out The Marin Foundation, The Night Ministry, or Chicago Theological Seminary - all promoting pastoring with a knowledge of sexuality. What about where you live?
