i've gotten involved in some conversations stirring around about after this recent article in the nashville scene. highlighting the abuse a sbc pastor and a young lady.
The scourge of sex abuse within churches belonging to Nashville’s SBC has been well documented, though the denomination continues to ignore, and in some cases deny, the problem.
more was brought up with this blog posting on some reactions from the article.
The whole meeting was a lot of talk about why the SBC's hands are tied: polity, the autonomous nature of Southern Baptist churches, the potential legal ramifications of creating a database that fingers credibly accused sex offenders—most of which was covered in last week's story. Several on the committee even raised concerns about whether most Southern Baptist church officials were computer savvy enough to navigate an Internet database in the first place. One member said many of the denomination's constituents either don't have a computer or wouldn't know what to do with one if they did.
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But the members of the committee certainly didn't shy away from expressing their distaste for the Scene cover story. And there was plenty of that to go around. More on that after the jump.
aunt b has thrown out her thoughts
the second reason is the reason that I imagine things will finally start to happen. Right now, because the Church has its head up its ass, there is no recourse for the innocent minister. If you’re accused of something, those rumors follow you around, because people don’t know for sure. If congregations can trust that, when an accusation is made, that the proper investigations are made and the truth discovered, then people who are falsely accused have protection and people who are properly accused meet justice.
i had made a statement that just about everyday in the youth ministry google news feed i get news of a youth minister who has committed some abuse. today, was sorta different.
now kat has thrown her thoughts into the ring
Churches are not public entities. They are private entities entitled to privacy.
I know this sounds like I just love covering up for kiddie rapers, shorteyes, sleazy pastors and blackguards who profane the name of Christ.
everyone has valid thoughts, but is there a one "right" way to deal with & protect against clergy & christian leadership abuse?
update: glen posts thoughts about the poor reporting of the article. which, is valid. he also takes aim at the misrepresentation of the power/authority of the sbc. since i wrote a lengthy comment. i am sharing it here.
glen, you mention the state of the convention not having any real power over the individual congregations. now that may be true, but in the perception of the greater population that just isn’t true. it is the same as saying that Church of Christ is a denomination, people in the CoC will defend that there is not a denomination, but common’ you are. the convention might not have power, but that hasn’t stopped them from making proclamations for all their churches to live up too (boycotting disney comes to mind). just that sole act evokes the perception, which i was always told is 99% truth, that the sbc has controlling powers over their congregations. also the fact that there are other baptist churches that do not fit within the sbc reflect that there is some power that keeps out all that claim the baptist name.
maybe it’s poor reporting, but whether she said it this way or another. people are still going to read into it all that sbc has power or authority over it’s participating congregations and should make/take action.
i say this knowing too that my denomination works or believes in the power of the local church & we too collect together to support missions/education/etc. but when we have had issues you can bet that the whole church is affected.