The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee refused to act on hundreds of reports of abuse.
This is more than just sin.
The efforts of survivors and advocates to bring the truth to light was called, “a satanic scheme to completely distract us from evangelism. It is not the gospel. It is not even a part of the gospel.”
This is more than just sin.
Meredith Stone
SBC Executive Committee officials not only vilified, shunned and destroyed survivors, they aligned themselves with the perpetrators, even defending their actions.
This is more than just sin.
Like many other Baptists, I found myself doing a lot of reading and thinking in the past two days.
I read the report from Christianity Today. I read Russell Moore’s analysis. I read Al Mohler’s response. I discussed the revelations with trusted friends. I read the social media reactions of my current and former friends who are in ministry.
As I pondered all of it, the use of the word “sin” stood out to me.
I read one post that told anyone casting stones at the SBC to be careful because all sin is sin. I watched a video of a pastor admitting to the sin of “adultery” and stepping down from his pastoral position, although his real crime was sexual abuse of a minor. I read another person’s post in which he warned his pastor friends to be careful not to fall into sin like the hundreds of SBC pastors who had perpetrated abuse in their congregations and ministries.
In its contemporary usage in the evangelical world, the word “sin” has come to mean a personal moral failing.
In all the instances and circumstances involved in the SBC’s current apocalypse (as Russell Moore called it), I agree that personal moral failings were involved.
But this is more than just sin.
“The SBC operates in a system of complementarian theology which asserts that God has ordained men to be the leaders of the home and the church.”
Before I continue, first let me acknowledge that I know the acts of sexual misconduct and abuse documented in the report are not only acts of violence committed against women, by men. The majority, however, are.
The SBC operates in a system of complementarian theology which asserts that God has ordained men to be the leaders of the home and the church. In other words, not only do male church leaders have power in a complementarian system, but they are in charge of upholding God’s power.
As the old adage says: “Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
There is no more absolute power than believing God is on your side, God favors you, God chose you to be higher and more important, that God chose you to be HIS (masculine emphasis on purpose) power over others.
In Michael Mann’s sociological work The Sources of Social Power, he outlines four overlapping sources of power in human societies — political, social, economic, ideological. In social systems and institutions, structures are built around these sources to exert and maintain power.
Tomes could be written about the political, social and economic structures exerted and utilized by the SBC and its top leaders to maintain power as an institution. But the horrific revelations of Sunday point directly to ideological power — the use of myths, theologies and metanarratives supporting one group’s superiority and right to have power.
Ideological power convinces people that their oppressors are actually better than they are, and so their oppressors deserve to be in power. Ideological power tells oppressed people they should be grateful that the people in power over them are “kind” and “wise.” Ideological power persuades oppressed people that a grand design exists that has enabled their oppression so they shouldn’t try to fight it.
What has and is happening in the SBC is more than just sin, it is the wielding of ideological power in the form of the systemic oppression of women and children in order to exert and maintain the power of men.
“It is the wielding of ideological power in the form of the systemic oppression of women and children in order to exert and maintain the power of men.”
I hope the SBC implements Guidepost’s recommendations of making the secret list public, issuing apologies, compensating survivors, prohibiting the use of non-disclosure agreements, and creating/implementing a compliance office and response/prevention programs.
All these measures are essential and urgently needed. They are necessary responses to sin.
But actions implemented to dismantle the ideological power that validates the oppression of women are also needed.
As long as complementarian theology and the promotion of divinely ordained patriarchy exist as sources of ideological power for the SBC, oppression will still reign.
Despite evidence to the contrary, my belief in the God who is love enables me to have a measure of hope that abuse and oppression do not have to exist in this world. May we join together with the God of love in working toward that end.
Meredith Stone serves as executive director of Baptist Women in Ministry.
Related articles:
Remember the women: The Southern Baptist cover up of sexual abuse | Opinion by Pam Durso
Guidepost report documents pattern of ignoring, denying and deflecting on sexual abuse claims in SBC
SBC report shows how five words turn abuse victim from ‘survivor’ to ‘whore’ | Opinion by Marv Knox