This week’s episode takes on clericalism and the part it has played in the abuse crisis. What is clericalism and how can we recognize it when we see it?

John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown University, talks to us about how he saw clericalism manifest in his conversations with the U.S. bishops. He talks about how the bishops are isolated, in part because of clericalism—and how that can contribute to abuses of power.

How is clericalism related to gender? Julie Rubio, a professor at the Jesuit School of Theology at Santa Clara University, joins the episode to offer her take, and speaks about how clericalism should be addressed in seminaries.

Theologian Richard Gaillardetz talks about who enables clericalism: It’s not just clergy.

Links:

“#ChurchToo” by Julie Rubio
“Eight lessons to help us move forward from the sex abuse crisis” by John Carr
“To Serve the People of God” by Rick Gaillardetz

Will the Catholic Church's sex abuse crisis ever end? In “Deliver Us,” host Maggi Van Dorn is a Catholic committed to healing the church from the inside. She wants to know: How did this happen? And what, if anything, can we do to help? Hear from experts, advocates, and survivors to learn what the church can do to move forward. Because you can’t fix something until you know how it’s broken. The season launches February 13, 2019 with new episodes premiering weekly through the spring.