NEW APOSTOLIC CHURCH INTERNATIONAL
Instructions to Obligation of Confidentiality

• Preliminary Remarks

The confidence of our Brothers and Sisters-in-faith in their ministers is the basic condition for the pastoral care. The bearer of a ministry must make every effort to consolidate this confidence and never misuse it. To that end, confidentiality has first priority. From a legal aspect, the obligation of confidentiality proceeds from the right to live one's own life.

• Who is subject to obligation of confidentiality and for how long?

In the first place, the ministers, but also all persons in charge of Church matters and pastoral tasks are subject to obligation of confidentiality. It is not limited by time and continues to be effective also after termination of an occupation.

• What lies within the scope of obligation of confidentiality?

Church matters:

• Finances, e.g. congregational offerings
• Information out of discussions of ministries
• Confidential information out of Church circulars
• Information subject to data protection, i.e. person-related data

Pastoral matters:

• Personal conditions, e.g. marital, family, health or economic affairs
• Information about conduct, faith condition and faith problems
• Vis-à-vis who shall the obligation of confidentiality be exercised?

The obligation of confidentiality must be exercised vis-à-vis everybody.

• In which cases is an obligation of confidentiality not effective?

Information subject to obligation of confidentiality may be passed on if an express consent of the concerned is available. Information may be passed on to a higher office bearer without prior consent of the concerned if there exists an imperative requirement for it.

This applies in particular if

• considerable damage for the Church might occur (e.g. if the conduct, the ministerial behaviour, or the performance of the tasks of a minister are in flagrant contradiction to the principles of the Church doctrine; in case of a behaviour doing harm to the Church and giving it a bad name),
• the intention to commit a serious criminal act, or
• a menacing self-endangering (e.g. the intention of committing suicide, misuse of drugs) becomes known.

In particularly serious cases (e.g. in case of committed crimes) such information shall only be passed on to the Apostle.

Ministers have the right to refusal to give evidence vis-à-vis outsiders (e.g. authorities such as youth welfare office, police, courts). In such cases, the minister shall counsel his District Apostle beforehand.

• Practical instructions regarding use of obligation of confidentiality

Obligation of confidentiality means not to discuss confidential - i.e. not public and well-known - matters with third parties and to keep away confidential information from third parties. Within a marriage and family as well as in the circle of the ministers it must be observed that discussions about confidential matters relating to Brothers and Sisters-in-faith are not taking place.

Even experiences of our Brothers and Sisters-in-faith are subject to obligation of confidentiality. It shall not be reported on them publicly, or instances in a divine service, if conclusions regarding the person concerned are possible; the mentioning of names can obviously not be allowed in such cases either.

If Brothers and Sisters-in-faith forbid to pass on any information to superior office bearers, this shall be accepted. We shall continue to take care of such Brothers and Sisters-in-faith without reservation. If ministers feel burdened by such information, they may describe the situation to a higher minister by safeguarding absolute anonymity and ask him for advice.

Should additional questions arise in the practice, information may be obtained from the Apostle.