In the Sept. 9 edition of The Wooster Voice, an opinion piece appeared where the author, Jason Rhee ‘17, shared his experiences of spiritual abuse at The College of Wooster. First and foremost, I want to commend Mr. Rhee for his courage to step forward and share his story.
Spiritual abuse, like all other types of abuse, has real and lasting consequences on the lives of the recipients, and as such, it cannot be taken lightly.
Secondly, as a staff representative of the Office of Interfaith Campus Ministries (OICM), and more importantly, as a fellow person of faith, I want to offer my deep apology that Mr. Rhee experienced spiritual abuse at the College.
It is very important that we as a college community acknowledge that abuse of any kind is not acceptable.
In addition to my offer of support to Mr. Rhee, I would like to provide a small self-reflection for those who may have experienced abuse of any kind. I personally believe that the best way to acknowledge and respect the experiences of Mr. Rhee is to do all we can to make sure that others are able to find the support they need.
And so, it should be noted that spiritually abusive organizations or individuals:
1) Use exclusive language:
They label others as outsiders that are not worthy or capable of receiving the spiritual benefits that they provide. They believe that their approach is the only correct pathway, and all those who think otherwise are to be excluded.
2) Intimidate and use fear to motivate:
Progress on a spiritual path should not be motivated by bullying tactics or driven out of fear to avoid negative consequences or punishments.
3) Demand blind obedience and suppress criticism:
Part of any spiritual journey is wrestling and questioning. No one is an expert overnight, and it’s okay to have questions and important to voice doubts and hesitations.
4) Hold others to standards they do not intend to keep:
No one is perfect, not even spiritual leaders. Imposing standards on others that one does not adhere to themselves is the definition of hypocrisy.
5) Are not transparent or open:
Spiritual knowledge and access must be open and available to all.
A clear warning sign of spiritual abuse is if all the information is controlled by a single individual or a select inner circle.
Finally, I would like to offer Mr. Rhee and all of those who might be affected by spiritual abuse the full attention and resources of OICM.
We take this issue extremely seriously and are taking concrete steps towards preventing future occurrences. OICM’s very existence is meant to facilitate dialogue and to provide safe spaces for spiritual discovery and deep questioning of meaning.
I realize the thought of working with someone in this environment can seem daunting to some.
If that is the case, please know that the Student Wellness Center and the Dean of Students office are also available for you to find the support and resources that you need.
Nate Addington, Interim Director of Interfaith Campus Ministries, can be reached at NAddington@wooster.edu.