Southern Baptist Convention Votes On Sex Abuse Prevention

While the nation is focused on sex abuse in the Catholic church and the Boy Scouts of America, the Southern Baptist Convention is facing a similar crisis.

At its recent national meeting, its leaders voted in favor of measures to make it easier to expel churches that mishandle sexual abuse allegations or attempt to cover up accusations.

“This is not a distraction from the mission,” said Rev. J.D. Greear, president of the SBC, according to The Tennessean. “Protecting God’s children is the mission of the church.”

Delegates at the national meeting also voted to assign a credential committee to review sexual abuse and racial discrimination claims against churches and church officials.

The denomination has taken other steps during the past year as the focus on sexual abuse within its churches has increased. The church established a nine member team to develop new sexual abuse training for churches and seminaries. This new curriculum is intended to improve the response to abuse after allegations are made. The team includes a psychologist, a former prosecutor, a detective, an attorney, and an abuse survivor.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the church is considering requiring background checks of its church leaders. This may help snare Southern Baptist pastors and ministers who are able to move from church to church since each location is run independently. The Southern Baptist Convention is reportedly also considering the possibility of a sexual abuse offender database.

Southern Baptist Convention Sex Abuse Allegations

In February 2019, an investigation by the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express News revealed the widespread problem of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches. According to Houston Public Media, abusers within the church have perpetrated more than 700 victims around the United States. Houston Public Media reports that Texas has more cases than any other state.

In 2007, victims of sexual abuse within the denomination reportedly begged leaders to take action and develop a public registry of offenders. The church denied this request, but the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express News put together a public database of pastors, youth ministers, volunteers, and Sunday school teachers accused of sexual misconduct.

“It’s a horrible thing that has happened to these victims and it’s a mark of the fallenness of man, including members of our churches, that this occurs in the first place,” Gary Ledbetter, communications director for the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, said to Houston Public Media.

In early June, the investigation was expanded when the Houston Chronicle revealed that sex abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention was not limited to the United States. According to the Chronicle, five missionaries who served in Taiwan, Malawi, Indonesia, and other locations had sexually abused at least 24 people.

The Chronicle also released the names of 40 more offenders on its sexual abuse database, bringing the total number of offenders who have pleaded guilty to more than 260. Additionally, news coverage of Southern Baptist Convention sex abuse has encouraged some 350 people to contact the Chronicle with allegations of sexual abuse. After these additions, the Chronicle has compiled credible allegations of abuse against more than 400 leaders in the church.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.