In my mind, the subject walks a fine Biblical line between the recognition that all humans are flawed — that all sin and fall short of the glory of God — and corruption of an authority that is intended, secularly and Biblically, to be respected and/or obeyed.

You definitely hit the nail on the head in individual terms — a flawed leader is a flawed person, period.

Though I’m thinking that a pastor abusing authority is in a slightly different position — it’s a spiritual authority, not a political one, that’s corrupted in this case. Stumbled, maybe, or wolf in sheep’s clothing, but either way corrupt.

Brings to mind the dramatic example of Jesus overturning the moneychangers’ tables in the Temple for essentially using a veneer of spirituality to profit at others’ expense, and thus hamstringing true worship. That was taking advantage financially, not sexually, sure. But what’s the real difference? Abusing authority sexually in King David’s case was exposed by the prophet Samuel in a story about stealing another man’s sheep — so perhaps the point is about using power to take what isn’t rightfully yours.

Though the road to political leader David’s sexual corruption was paved by spiritual leader Eli’s shrugging at his own sons’ similar corruption the generation before. What does that say about how the personal lives of spiritual leaders impact the political force of a nation, and the enormous mantle of responsibility therein?

(The ravages to family as a consequence of church-related corruption are tragic, as you mentioned. It is horrific that the sins of a spiritual leader are seemingly visited so much more devastatingly on their children and spouse. Echoes of David and Bathsheba’s firstborn dying, and the brutal incest rape among his kids. The casualties of biological and spiritual family are heartbreaking. Perhaps they extend to casualties of a nation.)

Stolen cash; stolen innocence; stolen faith. With all the lying and sneaking around that goes with trying not to get caught stealing.

We expect politicians to be out for their own gain and hope some altruistic intentions to public servanthood balances it out. We trust pastors are in it for the service, not the illicit perks. We trust that Christian leaders ought to act, well, Christian.

Still, they’re both human. And we too are human. And flawed. And American — where the culture of individual rights, not responsibilities, is the true national religion. We too cut our teeth on the moral bone of “one nation under ME,” because we live here, and it’s as natural as breathing, Facebooking and drinking Starbucks.

So culturally, there oughtn’t be much difference between our standards for politicians and pastors after all.

Ought there?