A southwest suburban Southern Baptist congregation allowed a convicted child sex offender to preach for the last few years — despite his past, and a warning from his previous church that he might still be dangerous, the Chicago Sun-Times has learned. In 1996, Jeff Hannah was sentenced to nine years in prison for having sexual relations with four underage girls — ages 15 to 17 — while a married youth minister at Crossroads Church in Libertyville. Hannah was paroled in 2001 and joined the First Baptist Church of Romeoville, where his new wife was a member. Soon after, the pastor moved on, and church members — aware of Hannah’s crimes — asked him to step into the pulpit until a replacement was hired, according to church members, Hannah and others. Hannah served in that role for three years and ever since has been a fill-in preacher, teacher and music minister at the church.
I’m all for forgiveness, but I can’t help but admire the hypocrisy and sheer ignorance evident in this story. The cynic in me wants to ask what would happen if Hannah happened to be gay. Yeah, I know; it doesn’t take much imagination to understand that the hue and cry would not doubt be audible from sea to shining sea. In this case, though, Hannah’s particular predilection was young girls. Well, at least he wasn’t gay….
My question, of course, is when forgiveness is appropriate…and are some crimes so heinous and so far beyond the pale that forgiveness is neither reasonable nor appropriate? I’m not certain that I have the answer to that question, but it’s one that the good, God-fearing folk at the First Baptist Church of Romeoville clearly haven’t bothered considering.
Have any of these folks ever watched To Catch a Predator? I have my own problems with that sort of sensationalistic entrapment, but the series does provide a good cross-section of the types of men who engage in this sort of behavior. Is that what the good, God-fearing folk at the First Baptist Church of Romeoville really want in their pulpit?
Apparently so.
