The clergy sexual abuse crisis in the Catholic Church is complex. While first and
foremost a terrible violation of victims, it is not only about sex or abuse. It concerns
unchecked, divinely sanctioned patriarchal power and its devastating consequences.
The author reviews the theological issues at stake, including patriarchy, sexuality
and sexual ethics, and sin. She argues that addressing the roots of the crisis calls
for taking seriously the contributions of feminist theologians to the thinking of the
church, especially about establishing relationships of mutuality and equality between
clergy and laity