In this episode of Mormon Stories Podcast, we speak with Christopher Jenkins, a former LDS bishop, about his personal experience with the Church’s abuse hotline. While serving as bishop in Washington, a ward member confessed to him that they had an abusive relationship with a teenager. When Christopher called the Church’s hotline for guidance, he says he was told he was not a mandatory reporter and felt pressured not to report the abuse to authorities. Christopher walks us through the calls he made to the hotline, the legal framing of the guidance he received, and the lack of follow-up afterward. He also discusses broader issues surrounding clergy confidentiality, how reporting requirements vary by jurisdiction, and what he perceived as the Church’s focus on institutional liability rather than victim care. We also explore how he now views mandatory reporting laws, the Church’s opposition to certain reporting requirements in Washington, and larger questions about abuse prevention, bishop training, and accountability. Christopher shares how this experience, along with navigating life as the father of LGBTQ+ children, contributed to significant shifts in his faith. This conversation centers on leadership responsibility, ethical decision-making, and what happens when institutional guidance conflicts with personal conscience. Show notes can be found on the Mormon Stories blog here: https://www.mormonstories.org/another-mormon-bishop-told-not-to-report/ Timecodes: 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:02:41 - Christopher’s Intention 00:13:50 - Patriarchal blessing 00:16:43 - Mission to Argentina 00:18:21 - Mental breakdown 00:20:30 - BYU and Temple Marriage 00:30:43 - Called as bishop 00:38:17 - The CES Letter 00:42:08 - No training 00:58:48 - Ward member confesses to abuse 01:17:29 - LDS Church fights mandatory reporting laws 01:23:29 - Abuse in the Boy Scouts 01:26:24 - Apologist argument for the current system 01:29:49 - Bishop Beau Oyler 01:40:21 - Second call to the hotline 01:45:22 - Any fear he will be excommunicated? 01:54:40 - Recently learned about Joseph Smith’s polyandry 02:04:13 - Apologetics drives me further away from the church 02:07:12 - Still processing queer issues 02:12:08 - Still attending church 02:20:40 - Seeking connections with post-Mormons 02:26:35 - Fitting in vs belonging 02:33:05 - Final questions ___________________ At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as well as scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1. Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology 2. Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis 3. Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions 🤝Help us continue to deliver quality content by becoming a donor today One-time or recurring donations: https://donorbox.org/mormon-stories?default_interval=m Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories Venmo: https://account.venmo.com/u/mormonstories Paypal: https://paypal.me/mormonstories Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCx6OgmoqJbOVRq-Lv1P7SzA/join Our Platforms: 🌐Mormon Stories Blog: https://www.mormonstories.org/episodes 🎙️Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mormonstories ✳️Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4sDzk7dRjODTSEqzZKZJzk?si=148b0efc1ccc4404&nd=1 🍎Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mormon-stories-lds/id312094772 🖼️Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mormstories 📱TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mormonstoriespodcast 🎮Discord: https://discord.com/invite/kuX5p6yyjF Contact us: 📧 MormonStories@gmail.com 📬PO Box 171085, Salt Lake City, UT 84117