The morning after receiving word that his wife, Mica, had died by a gunshot wound to the head, pastor John-Paul Miller declared with excitement to his congregation, “I wrote a new parody for you all today!” Cheers erupted as Miller…
New website tracks accused Protestant clergy sexual abusers
A team of clergy sexual abuse survivors and their supporters announced the launch of a new website to help track predators and the churches that cover up for them. ProtestantAccountability.org already boasts a list of more than 2,700 accused perpetrators…
When the abused become abusive
Here’s what happens when you dare to ask questions about the common narrative of the clergy sexual abuse survivor community. You get lambasted online with comments like these made against me over the weekend: “Mariah Kerry (not Carey) commented on…
Here’s what’s different about clergy sexual abuse claims in UMC
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…