There are political implications in the Southern Baptist Clergy Sexual Abuse Scandal

[lees1975]

https://signalpress.blogspot.com/2022/05/for-southern-baptists-lessons-to-be.html

It's a dilemma for sure. Denominational leaders must choose between protecting themselves, their positions of power and the interests of those who appointed them to the executive committee, or acting in a manner that is consistent with their Christian testimony and values. And that's the real choice here. What was going on was not consistent with Christian faith and practice in any sense of those terms.

The problems that the denomination is facing, this issue in particular, is at least partly due to the blending of secular, right wing politics with Biblical doctrine and theology being preached from pulpits. Their own doctrine, which includes affirmation of the Bible's inerrancy, states very clearly that infiltration by "worldly influences" posing as allies will lead to the corruption of the church's mission and purpose. Trumpism, which is all about protecting power by hiding truth and promoting lies, has done to the Southern Baptist convention and many of its churches exactly what the Bible's writers warned about. Just look at what's happened to Southern Baptists as a result of this sexual abuse scandal.

Now, they must face a reality that is screaming to the world that Southern Baptists are not any closer to God, more theologically and doctrinally correct, or "better Christians" than those in any other denomination, and they don't seem to have an answer for this problem that has been going on for at least four decades that we know of. Is the leadership they have, in the limited little circle of influencers and kingmakers who run the SBC now, capable of the kind of admission of guilt and repentance that will be required to demonstrate sincerity? Will they step up and actually do something besides dialogue and investigation?