Justice Department Investigates Southern Baptist Convention Over Abuse| AUGUST 2022
By: News Reporting
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
A federal investigation will look into the largest Protestant denomination’s response to abuse, following a bombshell report commissioned and released by the Southern Baptist Commission (SBC) in May.
The SBC Executive Committee confirmed on Friday that the Justice Department “has initiated an investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention, and that the investigation will include multiple SBC entities.”
An independent investigation by Guidepost Solutions into the EC, released in May 2022, found that over the past 20 years, its leaders had compiled a secret list of more than 700 abusive pastors, mishandled allegations, and mistreated the victims who asked for help.
The investigation, which cost over $2 million, spanned 330 interviews and five terabytes of documents collected over eight months.
It is not clear what potential or suspected crimes they are looking into. The Department of Justice (DOJ) writes on its website, “ Child sexual abuse matters are generally handled by local and state authorities, and not by the federal government.”
But the DOJ has looked into church abuse before. It began investigating abusive Catholic priests in Pennsylvania in 2018, following a state grand jury
The abuse issue garnered attention in Southern Baptist circles later. Thanks to the public witness of survivors and reports by media including the Houston Chronicle , it came to the forefront after #MeToo and #ChurchToo took off.
At its June annual meeting, the SBC voted to adopt reforms including launching an official database of credibly accused pastors—a tool they hope will prevent abusers from moving between churches.
The task force responsible for studying how to enact those changes was named on Monday , led by two pastors outspoken in favor abuse reform and transparency: Marshall Blalock of South Carolina and Mike Keahbone of Oklahoma.
Current EC leaders hope for a new era of transparency and mission for the EC. One of its new lawyers, Gene Besen of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP, referenced “changing the direction,” and the EC’s new interim president , McLaurin, talked about “changing the culture.”
Talk of reform and repentance extends across the convention, with state associations launching their own abuse response protocol and seminaries mandating training .
“While so many things in the world are uncertain, we can be certain that we serve a mighty God. Nothing, including this investigation, takes Him by surprise,” the entity presidents said in their statement.
“We take comfort in that and humbly ask you be in prayer in the days and weeks ahead. Specifically, we ask God to grant wisdom and discernment to each person dealing with the investigation.”
https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/august/federal-investigation-southern-baptist-abuse-executive-comm.html
(The article continues in greater detail at the seed itself.)
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Sweep around your own front door, before you sweep around mine. The song goes:
The Williams Brothers - Sweep Around
If you don't 'tidy up' your church. . . the DoJ just might do it for you all!
Question: In the Churches is abuse some form of religious freedom afforded in the Constitution?
Those who tout Christian nationalism are 'reserved'? Well, don't get quiet now! Speak out for positive change in the Churches of the United States.
SBC is in hot water.
Could be.