Statement #16 (which was #17 in the old 2013 Policy) has been completely rewritten. It reads: “A person who has engaged in child sexual abuse does not qualify to receive any privileges or to serve in a position of trust or responsibility in the congregation for many years, if ever.”
The 2013 Policy Statement #17 doesn’t state “if ever” and is a bit different: “A person known to have abused a child in the past, and who continues to pose a risk to children or is not irreprehensible, does not qualify [underline mine] to serve in a position of trust or responsibility in the congregation.-1 Timothy 3:1-7, 10; Titus 1:7.”
Interesting pick up Barbara. On the face of it, it would seem that the WTS has changed the policy so that an abuse never can serve in a position of responsibility but in fact there is still an opening. Now there is a qualification that the prohibition is only applied to those known abusers who continue to pose a risk or are not irreprehensible.
Who decides the risk posed by a known abuser? Who is qualified or authorised to determine this? I suspect an arbitrary ruling by WT Legal will be the order of the day rather than any professional or secular assessment.
So Witnesses here in the UK - there is still every chance that someone with a proven history of child sexual abuse could end up being an elder or MS in your congregation and you will not have any knowledge of it at all.