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.
…
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.