Power Dynamics and Sexual Ethics

UNITED METHODIST BISHOP Cynthia Moore-Koikoi has fond memories of growing up in the church. It helped form and develop her as a leader, she said. But her involvement with church administration and leadership came with a price, as she described in a panel at the Religion News Association conference in 2018. As a youth delegate to her annual convention, Moore-Koikoi recalled that whenever she walked by a certain group of clergy, “they were going to make comments about my physical appearance ... I learned how to turn my face quickly when that ‘holy kiss’ was given so that it would land on my cheek not on my lips. It was like I was walking a gauntlet at times.”

In 2016, Moore-Koikoi was consecrated as a bishop and called to serve United Methodists in western Pennsylvania. Certainly, she thought, serving in such a high church position and marriage would protect her from sexual comments and predation. But, says Moore-Koikoi, “no level of power or authority in the church can insulate persons from sexual harassment.” Sojourners’ senior associate editor Rose Marie Berger interviewed Moore-Koikoi by phone in December 2018.

Sojourners: In 2016 you were elected bishop. Have you experienced any sexualized pressure, harassment, or assault since your ordination as a bishop?

Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi: Yes. There was an incident that happened not long after I was ordained a bishop that I characterize as sexual harassment. Unfortunately, it happened at one of the earliest meetings that I went to as a bishop with the Council of Bishops. An individual there made some inappropriate comments about me, about my physical appearance and about his desires. It was a very uncomfortable situation, [my] being a new bishop, not knowing how bishops conduct themselves at those kinds of things.

As sexual harassment often happens, it was done when I was separated from the group. There was nobody else there to witness it. Fortunately, it was in an open place, so I didn’t feel physically threatened or like I couldn’t get out of the situation. I chose to handle it by expressing to the individual that my husband would soon be joining me and that I would love to introduce my husband to him. In that way, I deflected the comments and let him know I was not interested in engaging in any kind of behavior that he might be suggesting. I shared the experience with some of my colleagues. It was handled then by some of them also.

Why doesn’t the power or authority that one has as a bishop insulate persons from sexual harassment? There is a different level of power that is given to a female bishop still—even in a denomination that is as inclusive, in terms of gender, as the United Methodist Church. While I have some power because of my position, because of my gender that power is diminished. Not my ecclesial power, but my social power and social influence. The theoretical power among all my bishop colleagues, regardless of our gender, is the same. But socially and in terms of some folks’ mindset, women in ministry still lag in power. That goes on at all levels, from the bishop to the clergy and down to the local parish.

What does effectively insulate people in churches from sexual harassment? Until we get to a place as a culture where we are able to have more healthy conversations about power dynamics and sexual ethics, we won’t be able to insulate ourselves. We can provide buffers and diminish the likelihood that sexual harassment will occur, but until we have those conversations more authentically, we will continue to have these challenges.