UNITED STATES
Washington Post

By Kristen Howerton

Published: April 10

A recent lawsuit filed in October against church officials working for Sovereign Grace Ministries (SGM) raises many ethical questions about clergy and their duty to report sexual abuse within the church. SGM is a church network with member churches throughout the world and has engaged in partnerships with many prominent figures in the Reformed movement, including John MacArthur, Mark Dever, and John Piper.

The lawsuit, filed by several women against SGM, alleges that church officials discouraged abuse victims from contacting the police, and instead conducted their own justice process, including forcing victims to meet with the men who assaulted them for “forgiveness.” The suit was originally filed by three women, but more plaintiffs have since been added, including plaintiffs that allege that some of the church officials were perpetrating the abuse as well.

Unfortunately this isn’t the only sexual…