A group of nearly two dozen persons comprised of both survivors and advocates convened across the street from Southern Baptist Convention headquarters Feb. 21 to protest the SBC Executive Committee’s alleged mishandling of sexual abuse and mistreatment of survivors. The…
SBC’s sexual abuse investigation has gathered 4 terabytes of data and already produced about 100 interviews
The outside firm leading an investigation into alleged mishandling of sexual abuse claims by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has received more than 4 terabytes of data and has conducted or scheduled more than 100 one-on-one interviews. These data…
29-page memorandum illustrates what the SBC Sexual Abuse Task force is hearing
A 29-page single-spaced memorandum originally obtained by Baptist News Global and subsequently made public by the survivor and advocate who authored it alleges at least 18 years of mishandling specific instances of sexual abuse by the Southern Baptist Convention Executive…
Look at the big picture to see the reckoning happening on sexual abuse
Events often occur in a series spaced out far enough that it becomes difficult to understand the comprehensive nature of the series. Often the space between the events makes it appear the events are episodic. Such is the case with…
I survived the Christian fundamentalist world that created Josh Duggar
To many Americans, the Duggar family was known as an example of traditional values, treasuring the life of the unborn, protecting the purity of their unwed children, bearing a strong religious influence not only in ultraconservative Christian circles, but also…
The weakness of complementarian theology on display in Duggar trial
As we reflect back on 2021, one theme will be how three of the major conservative evangelical denominations have become compromised by sexual abuse and sexual abuse coverups. The Presbyterian Church in America became embroiled in a scandal over the past…
How the SBC employs the Sodom Strategy to avoid talking about real sexual abuse
Growing up in the Atlanta suburbs during the 1990s, I roamed about with much greater freedom than 9- and 10-year-olds enjoy today. But each time my mother released my sister and me to gallivant unsupervised around the mall or Six…
In highly unusual move, Georgia pastor who lost race for SBC presidency sues former SBC leader for defamation
The Georgia pastor narrowly defeated in his bid to become president of the Southern Baptist Convention this summer has filed a defamation lawsuit against the former denominational employee he believes purposely tanked his candidacy. Mike Stone, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist…
Southern Baptists, attorney-client privilege, and devotion to empire
Unlike many who read Baptist News Global, I hold no nostalgic memories and feelings for the Southern Baptist Convention. I regard the SBC as an institution conceived, birthed and used to associate the gospel of Jesus with white supremacy from…
SBC’s legal counsel quits in protest of Executive Committee waiving privilege in sexual abuse investigation
One week after the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee voted to follow the will of convention messengers over the advice of its legal counsel and waive attorney-client privilege for a sexual abuse investigation, its longtime legal counsel gave notice it…
Decent men of faith and sexual abuse
Before I get into this piece any further, let me admit that decency is a pretty low bar for people of faith. I find that in most churches (I cannot speak for synagogues or temples or mosques), the bar is generally set…
To some, the latest SBC divide over sexual abuse investigation pits what’s morally right against what’s legally prudent
Sometimes the morally right thing to do is not the legally prudent thing to do. Such is the dilemma facing the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee as it meets Tuesday, Oct. 5, to vote — for the third time —…