Paths to redemption?

NEWARK, May 2 (AP) — James E. McGreevey, who resigned as New Jersey governor in 2004 after saying that he had had an extramarital affair with a man, has become an Episcopalian and wants to be ordained as a priest in that faith, according to a published report.

BOSTON (AP) -- The popular MIT admissions dean ousted when officials learned she lied about her college education on her resume actually earned a diploma from a small Catholic college [but had claimed on her resume to have degrees from other institutions].

These two news stories have been very much on my mind, lately. It's so challenging to our spirits when someone we look up to -- or who holds a position of great trust and responsibility -- turns out to have lied or engaged in some kind of misconduct. The question often becomes when and how might should that person be accepted back into positions of trust and responsibility?

Another important questions is whether their Torah -- the teachings and wisdom that they gave us and that we held dear -- is still good Torah, or do we have to reject that, too, when we reject their misconduct?

The Jewish tradition -- especially the stories of "Aher" -- has much to say on these issues. I hope to have time to share some of that with you in the coming days.