Albert Mohler, who I like and respect, made some interesting comments regarding the accountability and the whole Bishop Long Church scandal in Atlanta.
I pretty much agree with Stop Baptist Predators at her post Denominational Double-talk that the leadership of the Southern Baptist Church really has no business acting superior here.
Now I have a lot disagreements with SNAP leadership (the main clergy sexual abuse victim's organization) and some of the Catholic spokespeople. While I think they are wrong on some proposals I understand their rage and hurt so I cannot blame them. However it has caused me to stop interacting with them, and I suspect other Catholics of good faith that want address the problem have too. That is unfortunate for all .
However this brings us to these comments and Stop Baptist Predators which sadly has also has this pretty damning web site. I get the impression she is sort of the leader SNAP Baptist division
I don't know if it is because I was raised in the Baptist faith or perhaps we both have legal backgrounds ,but she is one of the folks of SNAP I seem to be able to listen too and learn.
I disagree with her no doubt on certain proposals and views she has . For instance I would disagree with her about the legal standing of the Clergy/ penitent privilege See her recent post Ezell's failed leadership on sexual abuse.
However she seems reasonable and does not for the most part brings in another theological agenda under the guise of helping the victims. Which sadly SNAP Catholic spokespeople sort of do and has the effect of really turning me off.
If you review her sites she KNOWS her stuff. She pretty much puts into words and documents what a lot of us in Southern Baptist land have known for a long time. That the SBC is up to their neck with problems regarding this but because the focus is on the Catholics 24/7 no one notices in the media.
Which brings us to the comments of Dr. Mohler that I would hope would know better.
Let me excerpt some of that:
The prior scandal in so many of these cases is the lack of accountability in these ministries. Many of these independent mega-church pastors are defacto dictators, totally without accountability structures. The congregations lack the discipline of a denomination and the pastors or leaders often lack any accountability at all.........
Well, the problem is that these ministries are built on charismatic leadership, so the congregation rarely tosses any leader out, regardless of behavior. In a confrontation with a Senate committee, Bishop Long was asked if he, rather than the church’s board of directors, was in actual control. We are about to find out.
What about at your church?.............
Well as you can see at Denominational Double-talk she has a lot to say about that!!!
Now one reason I like the Stop Baptist Predators is that she sort of brings out a point I often to try bring out to Catholics. Putting local lay people in charge and having local autonomy is not the magic bullet as to preventing sexual abuse in the Church. In fact as to the Southern Baptist example we can see how that is abused.
As Mohler is talking about "charismatic" figures, I do wonder where he is getting the idea the Baptist have safeguards against this. People that sexually abuse are often the most charming charismatic people around. That is why they are do dangerous. We also see the magic Board of Deacons do not in a depressing large number of these cases swoop in from on high to save the day. Neither did the Baptist church at a state or national level either.
See
Pastor in strip club shows Baptistland patterns , (note I get her premise but I am not so sure I agree with how the media handled this)
Baptists must face fear and prioritize risks, (How the reality of $$$$ intrudes)
Iowa church illustrates low standards of Baptistland ,
It's a "business decision" ,
Bolivar Baptist Baloney (Where is the Larger Church Discipline?)
20/20 to air update on Matt Baker story
During a Southern Baptist Convention
That is just her entries from this past summer. Again read her blog and go to the main web site.
As I have often said the Southern Baptists are just a couple of good law firms away which have deep pockets and can connect the dots, to having some major judgments against the many State Conventions and perhaps the SBC itself. Then the avalanche starts.
I like Mohler and respect him. But so far I have not heard his loud, booming , and influential voice as at the SBC or anywhere else on this issues .
Perhaps I am reading him wrong. One could read him as doing this post to try to jump start the discussion in the SBC. Well I hope that is the case because if not he is being very naive.
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