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	August 2003
		On the verge of a watershed by Rosina Beaumont
			Academic, journalist and prominent Anglican laywoman, Dr Muriel Porter believes that the Anglican Church both internationally and within Australia is on the verge of a watershed. Continuing revelations about child and adult sexual abuse within the Church, combined with the pressing issues of homosexual clergy and women bishops, have brought the Church to a point of crisis. A sort of a crisis But Dr Porter believes that a schism in the worldwide Church on one or all of these sexuality-based issues may be an opportunity for the Church to renew and restore itself for the 21st century. 'The Church has never been unable to deal properly with issues of sexuality and because of that we are now confronting a sort of a crisis,' Dr Porter said. But it means that we are being forced to ask what sort of church we really want in the future.' Informed public discussion Dr Porter visited Hobart recently to promote her new book Sex, Power and the Clergy, a study of the sexual abuse crisis in Australian churches. As well as being a Senior Lecturer in Journalism at RMIT, Dr Porter is a member of the General Synod, a member of the General Synod Standing Commission, a member of the Melbourne Diocesan Synod and Melbourne Diocesan Council. She is also a member of the General Synod Doctrine Commission and the General Synod Working Group on women bishops. Dr Porter's training as an historian is evident in Sex, Power and the Clergy in which she examines the major sexual abuse cases in the Christian church in Australia over the past few decades. In doing so she aims to encourage informed public discussion on the extent and nature of the problem. Church hierarchy A self-professed feminist, Dr Porter believes that the underlying explanation for abuse against both children and women in the church lies with the hierarchical nature of the Anglican Church which institutionalises male patriarchy and gives priests an authority and power which verges on being feudal. Positions based on such concentrations of power can easily become abusive, especially in a culture where secrecy and autocratic decisions - which can easily overide democratic processes - are commonplace. While Dr Porter is fiercely critical of church hierarchy for its lack of transparency and accountability, she believes it is also essential for the laity to become more outspoken in condemning situations of abuse. She speaks from personal experience when she describes the courage often required to speak out against clergy who are in abusive relationships and against church structures that fail to deal adequately with abusive situations. The trouble Openly discussing the issue of sexual abuse through church forums, parish discussions and even Sunday sermons would empower lay people and reduce the present secrecy. 'Evil only happens when good people allow it. If lay people would exercise their rights and speak with their priest, write to their Bishop and talk to the Synod rep., we would soon see change,' she said. 'The trouble is that most Anglicans are well behaved and well mannered and don't want to offend'. Underlying pattern Unfamiliar with the detail of the response by the Tasmanian Anglican Church to sexual abuse in the church, Dr Porter declined to comment on the Tasmanian situation. However, as a member General Synod committee that has compiled national procedures for dealing with sexual abuse, Dr Porter is well acquainted with the church's response nationally. But she feels that whatever procedures are instituted or remediation offered, the underlying cause of the problem - a patriarchal, hierarchical church -- remains. 'I fundamentally think we are talking about a few rotten apples but the underlying pattern still remains and that is what needs to be grappled with,' Dr Porter said. Inevitable Increased numbers of female clergy, including equal numbers of male and female bishops and greater lay involvement in church governance will improve things, but ultimately she believes a massive shakeup of the Anglican Church is inevitable.