Inside the Old Apostolic lutheran Church and the Clint Massie Abuse Case
Table of Contents
Our investigation of a little-known church community in northeastern Minnesota started with something that has become depressingly familiar: child sex abuse.
The Clint Massie Case and the OALC
ProPublica and the Minnesota Star Tribune found that some members of the Old Apostolic Lutheran church community in Duluth enabled Clint Massie, who pleaded guilty to sexually abusing young girls. Massie is currently in prison in Faribault, Minnesota.
Understanding the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church
The Old Apostolic Lutheran church – wich has no affiliation with mainstream Lutheran denominations and is known as the OALC – is an insular community with many old-world traditions. There is no official count, but one academic study estimated 31,000 members worldwide as of 2016, with most in the United States.
Key Characteristics of the OALC
- Insularity: The OALC maintains a strong separation from broader society, emphasizing internal community bonds.
- Conventional Practices: The church adheres to strict interpretations of Lutheran theology and maintains many historical customs.
- Decentralized Structure: Unlike many denominations, the OALC lacks a central governing body, leading to variations in practice between congregations.
The Investigation
We examined hundreds of pages of criminal records, conducted more than a dozen interviews with alleged victims across the country, reviewed video and audio of police interviews with Massie, victims and church leaders, and attended a service at the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church in duluth.
Church Leadership Response
Daryl Bruckelmyer, an OALC preacher, declined to comment or answer a detailed list of questions for this story. But in a 2023 interview with a St. Louis County detective, he acknowledged knowing about…
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