Contributing writer Sarah Blackwell contemplates the seemingly insurmountable task that looms over the Southern Baptist denomination regarding what to do about the recent release of an internal database of abusers. Each of the recommended steps to remedy this problem seems so minor, so insignificant —
Many still have a hard time seeing sexual misconduct by pastors as abusive. Particularly when the one abused is an adult, Baptists and other faith groups often view the survivor as the tempter — a sinner who led a holy man astray — rather than
After approving a series of reforms meant to address sexual abuse in their denomination, Southern Baptists at their national meeting approved a resolution apologizing to abuse survivors and asking for forgiveness. They also called on legislatures to create laws that make pastoral sexual misconduct a
The election was one of the closely watched aspects of the two-day meeting, during which messengers, or delegates, addressed a sexual abuse investigation. Barber received 61% of the votes in the second round of voting at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention on
Randy Davis, president and executive director of the Tennessee Baptist Mission Board, called on the SBC to “break all ties” with the investigative firm Guidepost Solutions, which produced the long-awaited sexual abuse report, after the company posted on Twitter its support for LGBTQ+ Pride month.
A group of church members at First Baptist Church in Bossier, Louisiana, has sued the church, claiming the pastor diverted money from missions to a conservative Baptist group. The pastor says Satan is trying to destroy the church.
After more than four decades, the pastor of one of the nation’s largest and most influential churches is ready to step down. And he has named a young couple to take his place.
Contributing writer Christopher Dixon offers his perspective on the recent SBC abuse report. Those who are power-hungry suggest that any self-examination or reform is “liberal” or “ungodly” but that’s a smoke-and-mirrors tactic to disguise the most painful truth: some of the worst sinners have been
David P. Gushee reflects on the recent report outlining twenty years of Southern Baptist leaders mishandling sexual abuse allegations in SBC churches. He argues that a denomination that does not want to face the reality of systemic evil in society must now face the reality
A blockbuster report found that SBC lawyers worked for years to protect the institution and demonized abuse survivors and accused a prominent pastor of abusing a colleague's wife.