‘The snake and the seraph’ – sexual addiction and religious behaviour

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explore the relationship between sexual misconduct and religious vocation. Drawing on clinical and ministerial experience the article suggests that most sexual misconduct among religious officials is a combination of sexual addiction and religious behaviour acting as interconnected responses to narcissistic damage. It goes on to outline a reciprocal inter-locking cyclical pattern of behaviour and suggests a treatment strategy that prioritizes four tasks: psycho-education, group work, family of origin exploration, and facilitating access to the components of a good quality of life.