UNITED STATES
The Courier-Journal
Posted on May 22, 2012 by Peter Smith
Fair warning, religious congregations: It isn’t enough to do a criminal background check on a prospective minister. A few phone calls are needed, too.
Florida jury has found the Florida Baptist Convention liable for sexual abuse committed by a pastor it had supported financially.
Normally Baptist conventions are able to keep arm’s length from such lawsuits because local congregations are autonomous.
But in this case, the jury found that the convention failed to do due diligence before it provided grants and training to Douglas W. Myers to work as a church planter.
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