The Southern Baptist Convention has been rocked in recent days by new allegations that pastors’ sexual abuses were covered up by church leadership.
Reports surfaced that the country’s largest Protestant denomination hid credible accusations against their own from the public and even law enforcement, causing widespread outrage and frustration among churchgoers.
A third-party law firm released their findings Sunday after a long investigation, claiming that “survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that the SBC could take no action, even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation.”
The SBC released a statement that they were “grieved” by the accusations.
“Obviously, I can’t begin to say how upset this makes us,” local pastor Timothy Smith told us. “I mean, to look so much like those Catholics…words can’t express.”
The many church members interviewed all agreed that this similarity to the Catholic Church was what stung the most.
“Lots of churches struggle with looking worldly, or sinful, or even hypocritical—we could handle that if that’s all this was,” church member Pamela Harrison said. “Its just that having an abuse report like this makes us seem so similar to Catholics!”
She continued, “that’s bound to lose us respect in the Protestant community.”
Originally published May 23, 2022
