One of the most consequential rulings on clergy sexual abuse in the entire history of American jurisprudence has received virtually no media attention. Its defendant? The United Methodist Church. In a 2024 ruling in Chestnut v. United Methodist Church, the…
The Southern Baptist Convention did not get ‘played’
I’ve spent a heckuva lot of time at the pottery studio this week. Working with clay is one of the things I do to try to keep myself steady when everything else seems too overwhelming. And with the release of…
Oklahoma House passes ‘Cindy Clemishire Act’ and ‘Trey’s Law’
On March 17, the Oklahoma House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass House Bill 4227, a piece of sexual abuse legislation now being referred to as the “Cindy Clemishire Act.” Cindy Clemishire is an Oklahoma native who was sexually abused…
Clergy sexual abuse survivors tell their stories in Georgia
In a unanimous and bipartisan vote on Thursday, March 19, the Georgia House Judiciary Committee advanced SB-542, the Clergy Sexual Abuse Accountability Bill, following testimony from survivors, advocates and experts who described the realities of clergy sexual abuse and gaps…
Georgia Senate unanimously approves clergy sexual abuse bill
The Georgia Senate voted 55–0 last Friday to pass Senate Bill 542, legislation aimed at strengthening criminal accountability for clergy sexual abuse in Georgia. Advocates say the measure closes a gap in state law and creates a path to justice…
Swinson testifies for Georgia clergy sexual abuse bill
A survivor of sexual abuse at a Georgia Baptist university testified before the Georgia Senate Judiciary Committee last Wednesday in favor of a bill that would strengthen criminal accountability for clergy sexual abuse. SB-542 would amend Georgia’s criminal code to…
Letter to the Editor: American Baptists do things differently
I am proud to be an American Baptist. Our denomination is not perfect; far from it. But we have been on the right side of history more often than not. On this day, I feel compelled to point out what…
Baptists have learned how to pass the buck on abusive clergy
Sexual predators in our midst have gotten a pass for far too long. While part of this is due to victimology, I believe a larger piece of this equation is a misunderstanding of the perpetrator. How many times will we…
Court records reveal tangled trail in Sills sexual abuse case
A sprawling collection of discovery material now made public has unearthed explosive new details and previously unknown facts regarding the Southern Baptist Convention, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the sexual abuse allegations involving former professor David Sills and his former…
US bishops choose leader accused of ‘enabling’ abusive priests
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops elected conservative Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City as its new president Nov. 11. The move by the American Catholic Church drew both calls for unity from the new leader and a…
Report claims Assemblies of God prioritized forgiveness over safety
The Assemblies of God — one of the world’s largest Pentecostal denominations — has been thrust into a crisis of theology and failed accountability related to clergy sexual abuse. An exhaustive investigation by NBC News found a five-decades-long pattern of…
Robert Morris pleads guilty to child sexual abuse
In a plea agreement announced Oct. 2, Gateway Church founder Robert Morris pleaded guilty to five felony counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child. Morris was given a 10-year sentence, but with the negotiated plea deal will serve…