Church Nearly Closed After Lawsuit

Church Nearly Closed After Lawsuit

Redeemer Lutheran church in Duluth, Minnesota, will not have to sell its building to satisfy a civil lawsuit judgment awarded to a former member for sexual abuse committed by a former pastor.

In April 1994, a Duluth jury found Redeemer, its leaders, and former pastor Daniel Reeb liable for sexual abuse that David Samarzia suffered from the ages of 11 to 14 in the late 1960s. The Minnesota Court of Appeals and the Minnesota Supreme Court upheld Samarzia’s $644,000 award.

Samarzia, now 44, says he began drinking and attempted suicide before getting counseling that helped him understand how he had been victimized. He sued in 1991.

Reeb, 63, served as pastor of the Lutheran Church- Missouri Synod congregation from 1961 to 1979. Three other men abused by Reeb filed suit after Samarzia and settled out of court with the church’s insurance company. By then the statutory period for criminal charges had expired. Reeb was expelled from the Missouri Synod clergy roster as unfit for ministry before the Samarzia trial.

A sheriff’s auction of church contents took place, and Samarzia bought the contents. The Redeemer congregation, however, refused to deed over the church building and land to Samarzia. Samarzia then offered to take $200,000, with the congregation’s apology that 30 years before leaders of the congregation “knew or should have known.”

The church’s insurance company paid $215,000 to Samarzia, who accepted a promise by the 40-member congregation to pay him a reduced judgment of $204,000. Of that total, an anonymous donor pledged $100,000 to help keep the church open.

Copyright © 1998 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Also in this issue

China's Changing Church: Eyewitnesses report looser regulation, ongoing repression, and booming revival. What does this mixed picture mean for the future?

Cover Story

China's Dynamic Church

Lutherans, Episcopalians Revive Talks

Brimstone for the Broadminded

Bad Things Still Happen

What the Hands Reveal

Miracle Monument

Classic & Contemporary Excerpts from July 13, 1998

Fear and Faith in the Middle East

One-Year Mission Changes Lives

Market Gobbles Up Veggie Tales

Comic Relief: Dear John the Evangelist

House Rejects Prayer Amendment

West Bank: Persecution Reports Unfounded

New Bill Threatens Freedom of Speech Religion

Vote for Peace No Panacea

Riots Traumatize Chinese Christians

Clinton Names Seiple to New Post

Evangelical Released from Prison

First Protestant Church Dedicated

Editorial

Lies We’ve Heard Before

News

News Briefs: July 13, 1998

If Christ Be Not Risen...

The Journalist in the Sedan Chair

LETTERS

Winding Paths Meet—Healing and Faith Find Connection

Patterson's Election Seals Conservative Control

Missiology: Uncovering Christianity's Hidden History

Fraud: Faithful Lose Millions in Ponzi Scheme

Sex Allegations: Megachurch Pastor Quits, Denies Wrongdoing

News

News Briefs: July 13, 1998

Editorial

Discerning the Healing Spirits

China Mission: More than 'Ping-Pong Diplomacy'

Playing the Grace Card

Karla Faye's Final Stop

In the Word: What's Wrong with Spirituality?

Do Demons Have Zip Codes?

Whatever Happened to Middle-Class Hypocrisy?

View issue

Our Latest

Review

Needing Help Is Normal

Leah Libresco Sargeant’s doggedly pro-life feminist manifesto argues that dependence is inevitable.

Review

Don’t Give Dan Brown the Final Word on the Council of Nicaea

Bryan Litfin rescues popular audiences from common myths about the origins of Trinitarian doctrine.

News

Died: John Huffman, Pastor Who Told Richard Nixon to Confess

The Presbyterian minister and CT board member committed to serve the Lord and “let the chips fall where they may.”

The Pastor Who Rescues People from Japan’s ‘Suicide Cliff’

Yoichi Fujiyabu has spent three decades sharing God’s love to people who want to end their lives.

An Ode to the Long Season

Why fans love a game designed to break their hearts.

Is This Heaven? No, It’s Banana Ball

What baseball’s most amusing team gets right about joy in sports.

News

Black Clergy and Christians Grapple with Charlie Kirk’s Legacy

Many say the activist’s inflammatory statements on race should inform how we remember his life.

Apple PodcastsDown ArrowDown ArrowDown Arrowarrow_left_altLeft ArrowLeft ArrowRight ArrowRight ArrowRight Arrowarrow_up_altUp ArrowUp ArrowAvailable at Amazoncaret-downCloseCloseEmailEmailExpandExpandExternalExternalFacebookfacebook-squareGiftGiftGooglegoogleGoogle KeephamburgerInstagraminstagram-squareLinkLinklinkedin-squareListenListenListenChristianity TodayCT Creative Studio Logologo_orgMegaphoneMenuMenupausePinterestPlayPlayPocketPodcastRSSRSSSaveSaveSaveSearchSearchsearchSpotifyStitcherTelegramTable of ContentsTable of Contentstwitter-squareWhatsAppXYouTubeYouTube