John D. Rempel

Canadian Mennonite professor, theologian, and pastor disciplined for ministerial sexual misconduct

In 2020, John D. Rempel (b. 1944) was found guilty of ministerial sexual misconduct by Mennonite Church Eastern Canada (MCEC), a regional conference of Mennonite Church Canada. MCEC initiated an investigation after multiple former undergraduate residence students at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario, reported sexual misconduct they had experienced while Rempel served as chaplain, residence director, and adjunct professor at Grebel from 1973 until 1989. In addition, Rempel had served in numerous roles in Mennonite Church Canada and USA — pastor of Manhattan Mennonite Fellowship in New York City, liaison for Mennonite Central Committee to the United Nations in New York City, professor at Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary in Elkhart, Indiana, and editor and writer for various Mennonite publications.

Marcus Shantz, President of Conrad Grebel University College, wrote in October 2020,

“The MCEC investigation was initiated at my request. Earlier this year, I received disclosures from Grebel alumni of sexual misconduct by Mr. Rempel at the time they were undergraduate residence students at the College. With the consent and support of the alumni involved, I made a formal report to MCEC asking for an investigation. MCEC has jurisdiction over the conduct of its ministers, and I’m most grateful for their thorough work and diligence in addressing this situation.”

According to MCEC’s announcement,

“MCEC appointed an independent investigation team to investigate the complaints, according to the [November 2016] Ministerial Sexual Misconduct Policy and Procedure, a denominational protocol. MCEC’s Leadership Council received the investigation report. Based on the evidence from the investigation, Rempel’s own acknowledgement of certain incidents of misconduct and a hearing process, Leadership Council found Rempel guilty of ministerial sexual misconduct and ministerial misconduct. Leadership Council considered the range of disciplinary options, and due to the serious nature of the findings, terminated Rempel’s ministerial credential.”

Anabaptist World reported:

“Rempel said by email that he ‘rejected some of the allegations as not factual’ and ‘accepted others as true statements of my transgressions.’ He said he was ashamed of his sin, ‘pleaded with the officials to take into account my nearly 40 years of celibate life’ and expressed his ‘desire to repent, receive forgiveness and make amends.'”

According to Into Account, a nonprofit that provides support for survivors and allies seeking justice, accountability, and recovery in Christian contexts:

“Our reports also indicate Rempel explained his abusive behavior against male students under his care by claiming that he was exploring his sexuality. This was followed with a recent statement to Anabaptist World in which Rempel invoked his ’40 years of celibacy’ as cause for leniency. Coupled with his appearance [now removed] in Mennonite Church Canada’s Listening Church video speaking as a ‘celibate gay man,’ his pattern is clear: Rempel engaged in violence against young men calling it ‘gayness,’ followed by a period of claimed ‘celibacy’ — not from healthy gay sexuality, but claimed celibacy from abusive sexual violence against young men.”

President Shantz wrote:

“I am deeply moved and thankful that these alumni came forward to share their stories with me and brought these painful truths to light.

“Words are inadequate, but on behalf of the College, and our Board of Governors, I want to express our heartbreak, our sadness, and our great regret that they were harmed. I have privately expressed this to each of these alumni, and I am now able to share openly that we are profoundly sorry for what they experienced. Carrying these wounds for decades has been an unfair burden for these alumni, and I hope that bringing this to light brings some healing for them and their families. These Grebel alumni deserve our ongoing concern, support, and prayers.

“I expect that coming to terms with this news will be a long road for our community. I’d like to share some of the steps that Grebel and MCEC have already taken to ensure that these survivors are supported:

• We will support the survivors involved with counselling from a professional of their choosing, and whatever other assistance they require
• Mr. Rempel no longer holds any affiliation with Grebel
• Mr. Rempel is restricted from the Grebel campus and from Grebel events.

“I would also like to express our collective resolve that Grebel will learn from this experience. Grebel has policies, practices, and training programs that promote accountability, transparency, safety, and respect for healthy boundaries when working with students. Although I’m confident in these systems, we will take this opportunity to review them, have difficult conversations, look for gaps, and make improvements.”