After a woman stabbed a man on campus early this year, claiming he threatened her life, Cedarville University has been grappling with concern on campus about broader issues of sexual harassment and violence. In February, a female student at Cedarville…
Akin apologizes for tweet about slavery but is chastised by the SBC’s far-right
A Southern Baptist Convention seminary president apologized March 11 for his “unwise words” in a tweet about Texas Tech University football coach Mark Adams. The apology tweet was graciously received by many in the SBC and beyond, but it was…
Sometimes it’s not a good idea to quote the Bible
Just because you’re quoting the Bible doesn’t mean you’re not embracing racism. That’s a lesson Coach Mark Adams of Texas Tech University learned the hard way last week. While the comments that got him fired were discouraging and inappropriate, what’s…
Not everyone believes there’s a sexual abuse crisis in the SBC
First, Jennifer Lyell had to defend herself against a public misrepresentation of her story of sexual abuse published by Baptist Press; now she’s facing a second public humiliation from critics who believe the Southern Baptist Convention’s sexual abuse investigation is…
The tragic tale of a sexual abuse case, a deacon ordination and the quest for control of the Southern Baptist Convention
We have written three drafts of a news story you’re not going to see published. Instead, I’m going to use this analysis column to explain how exceedingly complicated it is to address the challenges of sexual abuse and politics in…
Who are the key players behind the SBC Executive Committee’s response to a sexual abuse investigation?
The present crisis within the Southern Baptist Convention over how to handle allegations of sexual abuse isn’t Ronnie Floyd’s first experience responding to such sensitive matters. Before taking the helm of the SBC’s powerful Executive Committee, Floyd was pastor of…
SBC seminary presidents meet with Black pastors but don’t change position on Critical Race Theory
Five weeks after the six white presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention’s seminaries ignited a firestorm of protest for their denunciation of Critical Race Theory, they met with a group of Black SBC pastors and didn’t back down. The result…
Could you win a quiz show by defining ‘Critical Race Theory’?
Imagine you’re on a television game show vying for a $50,000 grand prize. All you have to do to win the money is give a proper definition of one term: Critical Race Theory. Could you do it? If your answer…
SBC seminary presidents are ‘complicit with evil,’ revered California pastor says
J. Alfred Smith Sr. is not happy with the six Southern Baptist Convention presidents, who recently issued a declaration against Critical Race Theory. “They are more afraid of Critical Race Theory than the ugly racism that has our democracy about…