On Sunday, May 22, 2022, a 300-page report will be made public, the document detailing matters regarding sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention. The report was independently prepared by a law firm engaged to undertake a comprehensive investigation of sexual abuse by Southern Baptist clergy and others in positions of leadership or trust. The report should also provide detailed information about how leadership of the nation’s second largest Christian denomination failed to properly respond to allegations of sexual abuse.
The Southern Baptist Convention is the second largest Christian denomination in the United States. The Southern Baptist church is second only to the Roman Catholic Church when it comes to number of adherents.
Some argue that the Southern Baptist Convention has been slow in responding to its own sexual abuse crisis. The Southern Baptist convention has responded to such allegations by making one of two or both points simultaneously:
Unlike the Roman Catholic Church or other denominations with a strong hierarchy, national leaders of the SBC have little control over what happens in local churches, including the hiring and firing of pastors and other staff. While SBC leaders have condemned abuse, they’ve long claimed that no direct denominational action is possible. For more than a decade, they have discussed compiling a database of accused sexual abusers for the use of local churches, but that database has never been established.
Some church leaders have also long claimed that abuse is not a problem in the SBC, calling their churches some of the safest places in the country, while others allege that sexual abuse victims and their advocates are creating a distraction for their own purposes.
Reporters from the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News were on the forefront of making widespread sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist church public. Through their reporting in 2019, the public was made aware of the fact that over 380 clergy, lay leaders, and others in position of trust in the church had faced allegations of sexual abuse over since 1998. This number of alleged perpetrators made public by these reporters is thought to be lower than the actual count.
Complicity among church leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention is another issue that the report from the independent investigation will address. Other religious denominations have been exposed for taking steps to protect clergy members who were guilty of sexual abuse.
If you or a loved one are the victims of Southern Baptist church sexual abuse, the legal team at The Doan Law Firm is here for. You can connect with an experienced, compassionate Southern Baptist church sexual abuse lawyer any time the day or night by calling our firm at (800) 349-0000.
A nationwide law firm, we can schedule an initial consultation for you with a dedicated Southern Baptist sexual abuse lawyer to discuss your situation. We can schedule a confidential appointment with an experienced Southern Baptist sexual abuse lawyer at any one of our 40 offices located across the country. We can meet with you at any other location that is convenient for comfortable for you. A virtual consultation with a Southern Baptist sexual abuse lawyer can be arranged online as well. There is never a charge for an initial consultation with a Doan Law Firm sexual abuse lawyer.
The Doan Law Firm makes at attorney fee guarantee to you. Our firm will never charge an attorney fee in your case unless we win for you. Our Southern Baptist sexual abuse lawyer team is committed to fighting tirelessly for justice, accountability and the compensation you deserve in your case.