| Description |
ix, 214 pages ; 24 cm |
| Contents |
1. The Construction of Problems and Panics -- 2. The Anti-Catholic Tradition -- 3. The Discovery of Clergy Sex Abuse -- 4. The Media and the Crisis -- 5. Pedophilia and Child Abuse -- 6. Conflict in the Churches -- 7. "Sins of the Fathers": The Feminist Response -- 8. The Legal Environment -- 9. Defending Therapy -- 10. Meanings and Directions |
| Summary |
Neither an expose nor an apology, Pedophiles and Priests takes a close, dispassionate look at the entire history of this mushrooming scandal, from the first rumblings to today's headlines. Philip Jenkins has written a fascinating, exhaustive, and above all even-handed account that not only puts this particular crisis in perspective, but offers an eye-opening look at the way in which an issue takes hold of the popular imagination. Jenkins argues convincingly not only that clergy sex abuse is far less widespread than the headlines suggest, but that there is nothing at all particularly Roman Catholic about the problem |
|
If we can believe the six o'clock news, there has been an epidemic of sexual abuse among the clergy, and especially among the Roman Catholic clergy. We have certainly seen many well-publicized cases, with front-page photos of priests led off to jail, and television interviews of parents afraid to let their children associate with clergy. But did the news media get the story right? Is there really an epidemic of clergy sex abuse? And is there, as some charge, something about the institution of the priesthood itself that attracts or creates pedophiles? |
| Analysis |
Children Sexual abuse |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages [173]-207) and index |
| Subject |
Catholic Church -- Clergy -- Sexual behavior -- United States.
|
|
Child sexual abuse by clergy -- United States.
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| LC no. |
95045625 |
| ISBN |
0195095650 (cloth) |
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