Negotiating Scandal: How Sexual Abuse is Contested in Protestant Churches

• In Event: 20420 - Section on Sociology of Culture Roundtables
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 8: Narratives

Abstract

My study investigates the contested nature of sexual abuse scandals in Protestant churches, analyzing the rhetorical strategies of accused clergy, survivor advocacy efforts, and institutional responses to allegations. Drawing from criminology, cultural sociology, and media studies, I examine the structural conditions that enable abuse, the cultural mechanisms that shape responses to scandal, and the role of digital platforms in amplifying or suppressing different voices. Using ethnographic content analysis alongside an abductive approach to grounded theory, my study analyzes high-profile cases of Protestant religious leaders accused of sexual abuse. By examining institutional statements, media coverage, and social media discourse, it explores how accused leaders attempt to repair their reputations, how survivors mobilize for justice, and how religious institutions manage the tension between accountability and self-preservation. By revealing the mechanisms through which religious leaders withstand or succumb to scandal, my study contributes to broader sociological understandings of power, morality, and institutional resilience in the digital age. It offers new insights into how contested narratives shape public accountability, not only in religious institutions but in other domains where figures accused of wrongdoing seek to maintain influence.

Author

• Bridget Eileen Rivera, CUNY-Graduate Center