NASHVILLE (TN)
Nashville Tennessean
February 19, 2019
Duane W. Gang and Holly Meyer
Southern Baptists across the country are grappling with a sex abuse crisis in the wake of a startling investigative report detailing more than 380 cases where church leaders and volunteers have been accused of sexual misconduct.
In total, the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express-News found more than 700 victims.
Here’s what you need to know about the story and how Southern Baptist Convention leaders are responding.
Why did the news organizations investigate the church?
Victims of sexual abuse had long criticized church leaders for not doing enough to combat the problem, including tracking how many church leaders are accused of sexual misconduct. So the news organizations set out build their own database.
What was the reaction to the news?
Calls for reform and change came quickly. Southern Baptist leaders vowed to address the problem.
Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear, a pastor in North Carolina, called sexual abuse by church leaders and volunteers “pure evil,” and apologized to victims.
“We are profoundly sorry,” Greear, along with fellow Pastor Brad Hambrick, wrote in a article posted on Greear’s website the day after the news broke. “It is an unjust tragedy that you experienced abuse in the past. And it is unjust and tragic that you feel fear in the present.
“We, the church, have failed you.”
What is the church doing about the problem?
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.