While we’ve been consumed with the debate here on human sexuality, our friends in The Methodist Church in the United Kingdom have been weathering a scandal featuring a pastor named Paul Flowers, nicknamed in the UK press as “The Crystal Methodist” (for his drug transactions)
Some of his offences were relatively trivial, like a drink-driving bust in 1990. Two years later he became chairman of the trustees of the Lifeline Project, a charity involved in helping young people with drug and alcohol problems. In 2004 he was suspended by the charity as it investigated allegedly false expenses claims amounting to tens of thousands of pounds. Ian Wardle, Lifeline’s chief executive, this week confirmed that the Charity Commission had been informed of Lifeline’s findings, which concerned “a significant sum” and required what he described as “a lengthy and thorough investigation”.
Here are some links to stories on the Flower’s situation if you want to catch up with happenings across the pond, and keep our Methodist friends in the UK in your prayers.
‘An accident waiting to happen’: the mystery of how Paul Flowers’ career flourished
‘Crystal Methodist’ Former Co-op Chairman Paul Flowers Arrested in Drugs Investigation
Drugs, sex and bad banking: Downfall of minister-turned-bank boss grips Britain
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1 Comment on "Recently Read: The rise and fall of the Crystal Methodist"
It's not just across the sea; the UMC is grossly unprepared to deal with pastors who are functionally ill (Axis II disorders). Unless there is some obvious, glaring moral failing that would embarrass the larger, church, the UMC seems to do pretty much what our Catholic brothers have been guilty of: just keep moving the ill pastor form one unsuspecting congregation to another.