The trust that parishioners have historically had in religious organizations has been strong. However, over the past several decades, allegations of sexual abuse throughout many denominations have caused many to give pause before blindly trusting clergy or staff. One of the most recent sex abuse scandals involves the Southern Baptist Convention. According to recent reports, members of the Southern Baptist Convention (“SBC”) have recently started to come forward to openly discuss the sexual abuse they were subjected to. What makes this scandal different from some of the others that have arisen over the past few years is that both adults and children appear to have been targeted.
If you or your child was subjected to sexual abuse at the hands of a Southern Baptist Convention clergy or staff member, it is important that you understand your rights and what you can do to pursue them. Religious organizations have a legal duty to ensure that adult and minor parishioners are safe. And when staff or clergy members violate the trust placed in them by committing heinous acts of sexual abuse, the church itself may be financially liable to victims. Those interested in learning more about Southern Baptist sex abuse cases should reach out to an experienced sexual assault lawyer for immediate assistance.
Did Clergy at the Southern Baptist Convention Sexually Abuse Children?
Based on several reports from various investigative journalists and independent organizations, there have been hundreds of instances of sexual abuse occurring within the Southern Baptist Convention, dating back to the 1990s. The first report to bring forward the alleged abuses committed by staff and clergy was in 1999 when the Houston Chronicle released disturbing reports of abuse. In turn, this raised concern among many in the congregation, eventually leading to the Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention hiring an outside agency, Guidepost Solutions, to conduct its own independent report of sex abuse within the SBC.
The Guidepost Solutions report corroborated the persistent pattern of abuse first hinted at by the Houston Chronicle article. In the Guidepost Solutions report, the organization names many of the clergy and staff who were accused of abuse. Some of the staff and clergy members who were alleged to have committed sexual misconduct within the SBC include:
D. August “Augie” Boto – Served as the vice president for convention policy, executive vice president and general counsel for the Executive Committee of the SBC between 1995 and 2019.
Roger “Sing” Oldham – Executive Committee vice president for convention communications and relations between 2007-2019.
Jim Guenther – An attorney who served as legal counsel for the Executive Committee. He resigned from his post shortly after the Executive Committee elected to waive attorney-client privilege related to the Guidepost Solutions investigation.
Ronnie Floyd – Served as Executive Committee President and CEO starting in April 2019, a post he held until resigning in October 2021, in the midst of the SBC sexual assault scandal.
Frank Page – Served two terms as Southern Baptist Convention president in 2006 and 2007. In 2019, Page was then appointed Executive Committee president. He resigned in 2018 after engaging in a “morally inappropriate relationship” with a woman while he was serving as an interim pastor.
These allegations prompted the United States Department of Justice to initiate an investigation into the allegations of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention.
Did the Southern Baptist Convention Administration Know About the Sexual Abuse?
Yes, based on the Guidepost Solutions report, higher-ups within the Southern Baptist Convention, including several senior members of the Executive Committee, were well aware of the allegations of abuse. However, these individuals not only failed to conduct an appropriate investigation into parishioners’ claims; they also took affirmative action to sweep them under the rug. In fact, there are reports that several registered sex offenders remained as clergy, despite the fact that the Executive Committee knew the clergy members had been convicted of sexual offenses.
Can Southern Baptist Convention Clergy Be Held Liable for the Sexual Abuse They Committed?
Yes, many of the staff and clergy members who were alleged to have committed sexual abuse have been arrested or are under investigation. Unfortunately, even if these cases proceed to a trial ending in a guilty verdict or the defendant pleads guilty, the outcome will do little for victims of abuse. However, Southern Baptist Convention sexual assault victims may also be able to bring a personal injury claim against the perpetrator. A personal injury claim is different than a criminal case because it is filed by the victim rather than by the state. If a victim successfully brings a sexual assault claim against an SBC member, they may be entitled to financial compensation for the impact that the assault had on their life.
Does the Southern Baptist Convention Bear Any Responsibility for Sexual Abuse Committed by Individual Clergy Members?
Yes, personal injury laws allow for sexual assault survivors to name a defendant’s employer, in this case, the SBC, in a sex abuse lawsuit. However, the basis for liability against the church is slightly different because a church is not automatically liable for the sexual misconduct of clergy members. To successfully hold the SBC financially accountable, a survivor must establish that the Southern Baptist Convention knew about the sexual abuse and refrained from doing anything to stop it or prevent future instance of abuse from occurring.
More About the Southern Baptist Convention
Founded in 1845, the Southern Baptist Convention, which also goes by the name the Great Commission Baptists, is a Christian denomination based in the United States. SBC is the largest Baptist denomination in the world, with over 47,000 congregations and 13 million members. In 2021, the SBC received more than $9.7 billion in member contributions.
