ABSTRACT

The Bible has its horrors: monsters that evoke chaos, terror, and disgust such as Leviathan, Behemoth, and Yam. The Book of Revelation warns of an apocalypse symbolized by a dragon and perpetrated by devils and demons. Like adherents of such other religions as Judaism and Hinduism, Christians stave off the monstrous with the power of faith. Many Christians rely upon symbolically or literally anointed representatives of God to manifest the values and behaviors that pronounce their faith while assuring them a place in heaven. These moral leaders, embodied in ministers, priests, and other clergy, are viewed as divinely inspired role models, counselors, and teachers. When they are not only discovered to be merely human, but are also exposed as troubled or even deviant, the disillusionment can be profound. The moral panic over “pedophile priests” in the Catholic Church reflects an outrage sparked by a crisis of faith as well as a loss of trust. Churches have been viewed as places of sanctuary, places that keep monsters at bay. The moral panic over child sexual abuse in the US Catholic Church reflects the recognition that the Church harbors monsters in its midst.