“Nothing draws fire like drawing attention to sexual abuse and coverups in white evangelical churches. Nothing even comes close.” These are the words Kristin Du Mez chose to reflect on as she prepared herself on the eve of the release…
‘All Survivors Day’ piggybacks on All Saints’ Day to raise awareness about sexual abuse
While kids celebrate Halloween and liturgical churches observe All Saints’ Day, several advocacy organizations are combining efforts to recognize survivors of sexual abuse. All Survivors Day, Nov. 3, is an international day to share survivor stories, raise awareness and seek…
Pastor’s return to ministry received as bad news in abuse survivor community
Andy Savage – co-founder of a Tennessee megachurch who resigned last year as teaching pastor after admitting to sexually abusing a 17-year-old girl two decades earlier – is starting a new church for others who, in his words, “got our hands on the wrong thing.”
Abuse victim advocates pledge to keep fighting for reform in the Southern Baptist Convention
While Southern Baptist Convention messengers inside the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex took first steps to punish churches that enable sexual abuse, survivors relegated to a sidewalk outside the meeting hall demanded a system to make it harder for clergy predators to move from church to church.
Survivors support bill to criminalize adult sexual abuse by clergy
Survivors of clergy sexual abuse and experts from across the country traveled to Maine March 29 to support legislation making it a crime for clergy members to abuse their positions of trust to have sexual relations with adults.
Abuse survivors, activists to rally ‘for such a time as this’ a second time
Women who rallied in sweltering heat outside last summer’s Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Dallas to draw attention to sexual abuse and domestic violence in the denomination are hoping for a warmer welcome when they reassemble at the 2019 SBC in Birmingham, Alabama.
#MeToo fallout continues for Memphis megachurch
Six months after he stood by a staff member accused of past sexual assault of a teenager, the founding pastor of a megachurch in Memphis, Tennessee, has resigned. Lead Pastor Chris Conlee and trustees of Highpoint church released a joint…
Victim to church: Sexual assault is not a sin. It’s a crime.
Bible teachings about sin and forgiveness do not give churches the right to pardon a crime, a woman who claims a Tennessee megachurch pastor sexually assaulted her 20 years ago says in new video published March 9 by the New York Times.
#MeToo spotlight turns on Southern Baptist megachurch
A Southern Baptist megachurch in Memphis, Tenn., is standing by a teaching pastor caught in the spotlight of the #MeToo movement exposing histories of sexual abuse by powerful males.