C of E vicar ‘spiritually abused’ parishioners for 20 years, report finds | Anglicanism

A Church of England vicar “spiritually abused” members of his congregation for almost 20 years, silencing dissent, commanding obedience, belittling and humiliating parishioners, locking people in rooms, and causing fear and shame, a report has concluded.

The Rev Michael Hall retired as vicar of St Margaret’s church in Tylers Green, Buckinghamshire, in 2000 and died in 2021. One of his former parishioners killed himself in 2020, citing “trauma caused by Rev Hall” more than two decades earlier.

Concerns were raised and complaints made within the parish and the diocese of Oxford, but no action was taken and the abuse continued, said an independent review of the case published on Friday.

It concluded that Hall had “spiritually abused a significant number of the congregation, and that he had engaged in sexually inappropriate behaviour” that was witnessed by children and young people.

Parishioners described Hall as a bully “who used coercion and control to silence dissent, isolate the congregation, make them dependent on him and to exploit them”.

The report said he “emotionally abused people and used scripture and fear of hell to control them”. Some parishioners did not realise they were being abused at the time.

Hall was an “orthodox Christian”, opposed to the ordination of women, acceptance of homosexuality and multi-faith activity. He could be charming, but also had mood swings and a temper.

The report said: “He was a physically imposing man who had boxed in his earlier life and his presence could be intimidating. There are reports of Rev Hall being physically aggressive … he punched a member of the congregation in the arm to prevent him from leaving a service.”

It added that Hall would “cite verses of the Bible to command obedience and suppress dissent. He expected the congregation to conform to his word which he said was the ‘word of God’ … He belittled and humiliated both adults and children, sometimes from the pulpit in front of the whole congregation”.

Parishioners told the authors of the report that Hall held prayer meetings of up to four hours, locked people in rooms for hours, told children their parents were “stupid”, ordered parishioners not to have friends outside the church, and shared highly sensitive information about people with other members of the congregation.

He encouraged nudity and touching, and had naked sessions with members of the congregation in a sauna he had constructed at St Margaret’s.

One victim said that as a result of Hall’s prohibition on friends outside the church, her husband did not speak to his parents for two to three years. Another said Hall persuaded people to hand over the deeds of their homes to the church, saying wealth was “bad” and wealthy people were “dirty and evil”.

Another said Hall shut him in a broom cupboard, telling him it was time he “turned to Christ”. Hall told parishioners that “he, and only he, had a ‘hotline’ to God”.

The report said: “People were scared of Rev Hall. Some parishioners were ashamed to talk about what happened.” Parishioners spoke of feelings of “worthlessness, self-doubt, low self-esteem, self-blame and a fear of making mistakes”.

“They experienced depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, mental breakdown, psychosis and suicidal ideation,” the report said.

The report made 13 recommendations including raising awareness of spiritual abuse within the church and encouraging people to report it. Since Hall’s retirement, the C of E and Oxford diocese had made “significant changes” that improved prevention of and response to abuse.

Lord Harries, who was bishop of Oxford during Hall’s time, said: “There were to my knowledge no official complaints. People might whisper and speak anonymously, but they were too intimidated to go public.”

Hall had also made clear “he would institute proceedings against anyone he thought slandered or libelled him”.

Alan Wilson, the present bishop of Buckingham, said: “I am in no doubt that what happened was wrong and I think that there can be no excuse for Hall’s actions. I am truly sorry for what happened in Tylers Green.”