NASHVILLE (BP) – The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee has been informed that the United States Department of Justice has initiated an investigation into the SBC that will include “multiple SBC entities,” according to an Aug. 12 statement from all SBC entity leaders and SBC President Bart Barber.
“Individually and collectively, each SBC entity is resolved to fully and completely cooperate with the investigation,” the statement said.
The announcement comes two months after messengers to the SBC Annual Meeting in Anaheim passed a resolution On Lament and Repentance for Sexual Abuse. Southern Baptists also voted overwhelmingly to adopt a report that approved recommendations toward addressing and preventing sexual abuse in the Convention.
That is a huge mistake. Never let the government usurp power over the church.
Raid Trump now launch an investigation into largest protestant denomination in USA. Only fools would cooperate with this Unconstitutional abuse of power.
The SBC has become totally worthless. Bunch of woke cowards.
Leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention were vague about what the investigation entails, though they suggested it would focus on questions of how the SBC Executive Committee has handled accusations of sexual abuse within the church.
Justice Department investigating Southern Baptist Convention for handling of sex abuse cases
Why wouldn't they cooperate?
If it were any other organization (say the RCC) I bet you would be condemning any uncooperative measures.
Churches cannot hide sexual abuse and expect to have any type of witness to the world.
I believe the SBC has made many bad decisions, but this is not one of them.
This is true, but ot is a convention made up on churches.
Whike church discipline is a church issue, the SBC (and any organization) should not hide information about sexual abuse.
The Current climate makes the DOJ untrustworthy. They have no business in the church unless investigating a specific count of a
particular crime. They have no business pouring through documents and going on a broad witch hunt.
For the record, I supported Kenneth Copeland when he told the Senate committee, that subpoenaed his records, to go pound sand and hired attorneys to squash the subpoena.
So should/can the SBC force a church to report abuse?
If the local church decides not to - what action should the SBC take?
(when such info is made public)
For example - lets say that a member makes an anonymous report to the SBC
What action should follow?
That is a tricky question.
The SBC should, IMHO, only be the IMB and perhaps seminaries.
But an organization does imply some sort of accountability for its members.
So yes, I would like for churches to inform the SBC of such activity.
Church discipline is good, but if it keeps these types of issues secret then the problem, sooner or later, can become another church's problem with more people hurt.
The SBC has no authority to compel local churches to do anything. When the SBC tries to usurp that authority, it's time to leave the SBC.
The mandatory reporting in and of itself would be a good thing, but it's a step onto the slippery slope that must NOT be allowed.
They don't compel, but they do set requirements for membership.
If a church decides to have a gay pastor the SBC does not compel them to change, but instead kicks them out of the convention.
Same with this investigation.
They can't do church discipline, but if they are aware of a child being molested they can (and should) report the crime rather than ignoring it.
If this is a slippery slope them so be it.
Most things are slippery slopes.
JonC. Please tell me how reporting molestation to SBC protects anyone. You report molestation to the proper Law Enforcement agency. If a church is too stupid to run a background check on All employees and youth volunteers, what will SBC registry do? I think it will make abuse worse because churches will stop running criminal background checks and just look at SBC registry.
SBC should educate churches on how important proper background checks are. If someone molested one of my kids, you wouldn't have to worry about it happening again.
SBC does not have authority over member churches. Giving them that authority is a huge mistake.
I think the way the SBC should handle it would be to require a background check for all church employees for the church to be eligible to participate in retirement plan.