If you have heard of Mica Miller or have followed the recent news concerning her death, you might be alarmed at the way domestic violence can infiltrate the church. This was not a hidden case of abuse. Her husband was…
Candidate for SBC president stirs a storm by saying sexual abuse cases are a ‘distraction’
In a six-man race for the Southern Baptist Convention presidency, one candidate made headlines over the weekend for his stance on the 42 sexual abuse lawsuits reportedly pending against the denomination. Critics pounced when David Allen, a seminary preaching professor,…
Church life is the perfect cover for abusers, Brown says in BNG webinar
The all-encompassing nature of church life can provide predators with the ideal cover for committing sexual abuse within congregations, abuse survivor and author Christa Brown said. “Access and trust. Pastors and churches have both access to kids and enormous trust…
Jane Roe’s case against Patterson and SWBTS stays alive for now with query sent to Texas Supreme Court
What remains of a defamation suit brought by a former student against Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Paige Patterson now comes down to two questions sent from the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to the Texas Supreme Court. The…
Graduation advice for seminarians and seminaries
I approached the end of my time at divinity school with relief and joy. It had been the best and worst three years of my life. I took apart everything I thought about God, myself and others and emerged with…
Reminder: This week’s BNG webinar features Christa Brown, sexual abuse reform advocate
Christa Brown will be the guest on BNG’s next “change-making conversations” webinar on Wednesday, May 1, at 11 a.m. Central time. She will dialogue with BNG Executive Director Mark Wingfield. Brown is a frequent BNG columnist and author of the…
Putting the wicked to rest: Creating teal steeples beyond Sexual Violence Awareness Month
I turned on the TV / And flipped it over to the news / And what I saw I almost couldn’t comprehend. I saw a preacher man in cuffs / He’d taken money from the church / He’d stuffed his…
Bart Barber, a unicorn among SBC presidents, reflects on the state of the SBC as his term concludes
Bart Barber is a unicorn among recent Southern Baptist Convention presidents. And now he’s a lame duck, too. To participate in our interview by Zoom, Barber had to travel away from his North Texas farm. This is unlike any of…
Twelve things the SBC should do now to address clergy sex abuse
The four of us have watched with dismay as Southern Baptist Convention officials repeatedly proclaim “progress” on sexual abuse reform while, at the same time, taking 10 steps backward. They bail with a thimble — and make a show of…