AARRRRGGHHHH!! Not for slaps and stuff like that!!! AAARRGGGGGGHHHHH!!
That's where the serious abuse begins. And this is an area that has bothered me for some time.
There has always been much discussion about the elders being unpaid volunteers vs the paid clergy of Christendom. Somehow, this volunteer status makes the elders better--more righteous--closer to God.
While it is true that the elders work hard and give of their time freely, it is also true that elders do not have the psychological training that is given to most paid clergy.
When a parishioner goes to his or her priest or minister, that clergyman has had sufficient training to recognize a serious problem and advise professional help if needed.
Elders, on the other hand, have no such training and are simply not equipped to handle the many problems that are handed to them. While it is true that the rules have been relaxed with regard to professional therapy, how many elders have ever recommended it?
In most cases, an abused wife is counseled to be more submissive. A seriously depressed person is made to feel guilty that they are not doing enough in service.
How many serious problems have been made worse by this type of counsel? How many deaths have occurred because someone felt too guilty to seek help?