As ministers, we are ethically obligated to protect the privacy of struggling people in our congregations. At what point does it become acceptable to refer to someone as a sermon illustration?
After 20 years? Changing the names of those involved? What ethical standards do you place for yourself in this situation?
Sunday, October 23, 2005
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9 comments:
Excellent question for reflection. I'll start things off by offering the "never ever" response. Someone will recognize the circumstances of the story, no matter how hard you work to disguise it. Confidentiality is confidential - trust would be broken. Not good.
Never,
Andy B.
The only time I'll refer to a situation within the congregation is with that person's permission. You don't break confidence. Even changing names and locations won't keep people from figuring it out.
NOt while you are in the same place, particularly in a small community. I am not even sure that it is good with permission. PEople have long memories and you never know who may have been touched by any one incident.
But many Pastoral Charges later? Well it is much simpler to rework a situation to make it unidentifiable then. But if you can generalize insome way that is better--many people may well have hada similar experience (isn't that the real value of good illustrations anyway).
This would strike me as the ethical thing to do. But I frequently hear preachers refer to people they knew in the past.
What may be embarassing to some may not be so to others. Permission from that person, at the very least, is necessary. One of my preaching instructors, however, insisted that it be best left alone and search for another illustration.
I believe that you should not use it at your present church or charge. With permission it would be ok later on down the road in another area. Or if you don't have the permission, you can make up your own illustration based on the facts of what really happened. Just don't try to pass this made up illustration off as a true story.
I agree that permision is ESSENTIAL and CRITICAL. And it is probably a good idea to give the story space and not use the story while serving the congregation the person is attending. Boy, it's almost common sense now that I think about it. It's unfortuanate that some pastors choose to do so anyway.
These responses are interesting. I hear sermon references to what are clearly particular people all of the time. And yet, I've never been asked for permission to be included in one or heard of anyone being so asked. I wonder how pervasive the high sense of homiletic ethics depicted in this comment thread is found in the American church.
I'd imagine that with the high pastoral turnover (especially in the UMC) that many illustrations are many years and a few churches back. I'd also bet a few are embellished to make a point.
I like to use parables on occasion. "Let me start by telling you a story..."
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