As Southern Baptists convene in Birmingham, we ask again: what will it take for denominational leaders to take meaningful action on clergy sexual abuse and the incalculable harm done to so many lives? Recent proposals are bare half-measures at best, with too many unknowns and too little transparency.
SBC urged to ‘reset spiritually and strategically’ amid continuing declines
There were areas of improvement, too, including an $82-million increase in giving from 2017 to 2018, and a rise in new churches in four states.
What’s wrong with the proposed sexual abuse amendment to the SBC constitution
By suggesting the need for prior judicial determinations, the workgroup set in place a remarkably high threshold for denominational action, effectively rendering even egregious cases outside the realm of inquiry.
Another alarm sounds on clergy sex abuse: Will Southern Baptist leaders just hit snooze again?
Sooner or later – and probably sooner – Southern Baptists will get their turn in the spotlight of still another media exposé on clergy sex abuse and cover-ups. When that happens, will anything change?
Caught in the middle: Is there still a place for Centrist Baptists like me?
I supported the moderate Baptist movement among Southern Baptists back in the 1980s. But I never dreamed we would end up where a Centrist Baptist like me would find connecting to be so hard.
Southern Babtoys Corporation: a satirical look at the pervasive problem of clergy sexual abuse
Most people wouldn’t accept excuses from a company whose product caused serious injuries to children. So why do people accept evasive explanations from a Baptist denomination for clergy sex abuse?
Pack a constitution with that Bible for overseas mission trips, expert says
A huge challenge facing faith-based groups operating overseas is ignorance about the laws governing religion in other countries. It can get people into a lot of trouble, said Eron Henry, a Jamaian-born American and former communications executive with the Baptist…
Clergy sex abuse: why the SBC’s ‘studying it’ response isn’t enough
For far too long, officials of the country’s largest Protestant denomination have done nearly nothing to effectively address clergy sex abuse. The time for action is long overdue, and the SBC’s version of “studying it” does not suffice.
SBC leader under fire for comments about divorce, abuse
The president of a Southern Baptist Convention seminary has defended an 18-year-old recording describing his counsel to a woman in an abusive marriage that is finding a new audience on social media in the age of #MeToo. Paige Patterson, president…