Denomination Not Liable for Pastor's Misconduct

• Key Point. Denominational agencies are not necessarily liable for a pastors acts of sexual harassment on the basis of negligence, invasion of privacy, breach of fiduciary duty, emotional distress, fraud, or clergy malpractice.

A South Carolina court ruled that a denominational agency and one of its officials were not liable on the basis of negligence, invasion of privacy, fiduciary duty, emotional distress, or fraud for a pastors acts of sexual harassment. Three female church members claimed that their pastor sexually harassed and abused them over a period of several months. The district superintendent of a state denominational agency (the "Conference") learned of the allegations, and asked the three women to appear before a "staff—parish relations committee" of their church. At the meeting each woman was given an opportunity to describe the pastors allegedly inappropriate behavior. ...