Sills claimed there was not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells accusations against him. Lawsuit protests the SBC and third-party firm for supporting allegations in a new legal challenge referencing historic abuse report. Nine months after The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) professor David Sills resigned for undisclosed reasons, a woman has released a statement of allegations including details of what she describes as sexual abuse by Sills, beginning while she was a Southern Seminary student. It conclusively demonstrated the non-consensual nature of what happened to her. He said that he could fix it by me becoming part of his family and then once I was part of his family, that sort of thing would never happen again, she continued. Three Southern Baptist seminary faculty members have recently resigned their positions. And Christian theology about sin and about the roles of men and women often makes it difficult for survivors who come forward. Pooler said abusive relationships with clergy often last for years. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Sills local church, Ninth & O Baptist Church in Louisville, confirmed to Baptist Press that Sills is no longer a member and that the church acted swiftly and firmly after hearing the accusations. Ascols group, Founders Ministries, once was a fringe movement in the SBC but today has a large following, especially among younger seminarians and pastors who were influenced by the Passion conferences in the 1990s. According to documents obtained by BNG, however, Ascol, Buck and Basham had collaborated with the source of the original quotation that Sills took out of context in his recent lawsuit. I now realize that despite SBTS handling the situation justly and as I asked without stating the reason for his resignation it led to the exact kind of scenario the SBC is now trying to prevent, she said. I mean, I was like, literally like, I mean, it was it was police at my house and, you know, safety, Lyell said. It looked idyllic on the surface. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Mohler should have said, Now, Jennifer, thats not a promise I can make you like, we need to do whats right for the kingdom, Lyell said. They may, at best, support survivors or criticize fellow denominational leaders in private but will not use their power to do the same in public, she said. Neither Smietana nor his editor offered comment to BNG when asked about the situation. Within days, the professor had been confronted and resigned. That report also cited the Lyell case. Things changed, however, once the abuse became public. The law should reflect that, Legacy of Wounded Knee occupation lives on 50 years later, Holy Queer author seeks Black church inclusion beyond singing with choir, Three big numbers that tell the story of secularization in America. It was a Zoom call conducted June 6, 2021. Tom Ascol, Tom Buck and Megan Basham tweeted about the Sills lawsuit and accused not only Lyell, but also Religion News Service reporter Bob Smietana who has covered the SBCs sexual abuse situation for years of misconduct. David Pooler. Because this is a personnel matter, we cannot comment further.. All rights reserved. In addition to being missionaries to these groups it is also our purpose to train and equip those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ, his death, burial and physical resurrection, for their salvation to do the same., At one point last summer, Henzel sent two emails to Ascol, asking him to communicate with elders at Lyells church about Henzels and Veinots concerns regarding Lyells wellness.. There are plenty of reasons to stay silent in a situation such as this. Except the pattern of inappropriate sexual activity continued throughout the relationship., Lyell wrote that when she presented her claims to Mohler, she also shared the responsibility" for being compliant at times and for idolizing the idea of a whole family., I protected [the family] despite what was happening within it, she wrote. However, Baptist Press, the SBCs in-house news service owned by the executive committee, incorrectly reported that Lyell had admitted to being involved in a morally inappropriate relationship with her former professor. Lyell first disclosed the situation to a therapist in March 2016, she said. It also names Jennifer Lyell, a former seminarian and vice president for Lifeway, who has repeatedly alleged that Sills was abusive, an allegation Mohler has also made on social media and in an . These ultra-conservatives believe the SBC is sliding into liberalism and needs to be rescued by them. The Complaint does not hid and it does not disappoint. And there were aspects of it certainly that I think is something that an abuser can use., Abuse advocate and attorney Rachael Denhollander said that Lyells story reflects a bigger problem with a complementarian culture that defends male leaders but views women leaders and survivors of abuse as expendable., Abuse survivor Rachael Denhollander, right, discusses the Southern Baptist Conventions history of addressing sexual abuse with ERLC President Russell Moore at the Caring Well conference in Dallas, on Oct. 4, 2019. Pastors and churches called for her to be fired. Veinot responded by filing a request for a copyright infringement complaint with YouTube to stop further sharing and said he began contacting those I discovered who had created links to it and requested they delete them.. Venue is appropriate in this court because defendant Ed Litton is a resident citizen of Mobile County, Alabama., Guidepost report documents pattern of ignoring, denying and deflecting on sexual abuse claims in SBC, SBC Executive Committee publicly apologizes to sexual abuse survivor, SBC report shows how five words turn abuse victim from survivor to whore | Opinion by Marv Knox. A Response to Rachael Denhollander and Others.. She did not revisit all the details of the abuse but did disclose those details to leaders at Lifeway and then to Al Mohler, the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, where the professor was employed. Sills also served as an International Mission Board (IMB) trustee and a member of the IMBs presidential search committee. It does not store any personal data. In her post, the 41-year-old Lyell said that the tenured professor of missions and cultural anthropology first sexually acted against her during a mission trip in 2004. . All rights reserved (About Us). She challenged those who questioned her motives. A former Southern Baptist Theological Seminary student has come forward to detail how former professor David Sills, who resigned last year, engaged in an inappropriate and "abusive" sexual relationship with her that lasted for over a decade. Geiger alleged that Mary Sills threatened Jennifer Lyell in text messages and that Mrs. Sills knew of the relationship between Jennifer Lyell and David Sills. We hope you will! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. If I were not to come forward with this letter, a church or ministry who receives Dr. Sills CV and does an internet search for him would have no way to know the truth behind his resignation, she wrote. Southern Baptists oust Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Southern Baptists plan to hire Guidepost Solutions to run abuser tracking database, Beth Moore tries to untangle her all knotted-up life in new memoir, Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. In essence, defendants saw an opportunity to improve the appearance and reputation of SBCs handling of abuse cases, long under fire, even though there had not been any legitimate and proper investigation into the allegations, nor was Dr. Sills adequately informed of the specific nature and extent of accusations made by Lyell.. And the incidents Lyell describes would have caused the creation of police reports. What happened instead was a controversy over what kind of relations are consensual and nonconsensual and who gets to make that determination and challenges to the veracity of Lyells account. Man At Center of Massive SBC Sex Scandal Sues Denomination, Along with 11 Prominent Southern Baptists For Lying About Him The Soap Opera Plods On And that retraction happened only after Denhollander had publicly criticized the SBCs treatment of Lyell during a major conference on abuse in the fall of 2019. David Sills and his wife, Mary Sills, claim Lyell 'constructed a false narrative . "She relayed to me what had happened to her. I had discussions on our boards here with people who were convinced by the reporting that David Sills and Jennifer had an "affair" and that he was held responsible for it while she was not. Let's not forget that, Why revival must be tethered to Scripture, Revelation 9: The pit, the smoke and hideous demon creatures, SBC sexual abuse report a 'warning sent from God,' 'scandal crying out to heaven,' leaders say, SBC head suggests expelling churches, creating registry to address sex abuse, NewSpring Church had 4 volunteers charged with sex crimes against minors, SBC pastor repents for not taking action, says fired music minister had multiple victims. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. (RNS) A former seminary professor and missionary who admitted sexual misconduct has sued a gaggle of Southern Baptist Conference leaders and entities, claiming they conspired with an abuse survivor to damage his repute. Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004 when Lyell was a student and Sills was a professor. Jennifer Lyell serves as Vice President of Book Publishing & Merchandising at LifeWay Christian Resources where she leads the second largest business segment of Lifeway's ten Ministry Areas. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Instead, for many this incident may have contributed to a perception that the Southern Baptist Convention is not a safe place for sexual abuse survivors to disclose, the statement read. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. The ex-Southern Baptist Convention seminary professor accused of sexual abuse by his former student filed a defamation suit in Alabama against her and several SBC entities, claiming the allegations. David Pooler, professor of social work at Baylor University, said sexual misconduct by clergy and other religious leaders is often labeled as having an affair. But that description misses the power imbalance at play. "Defendants saw him as an easy target; a bona fide scapegoat." . In the spring of 2019, Lyell, then a well-respected leader in Christian publishing, decided to publicly disclose that she was a survivor of sexual abuse. And recovering from abuse as an adult is a long-term process. One of Lyells advocates over the past three years has been Mohler, who has publicly stated he believed Lyells story as she has told it. As of earlier today, we declared his one IVP title (in both print and digital formats) as out of print.. According to Lyell, the reason she waited so long to come forward with her claims is because she was afraid that her coming forward could cause collateral damage impacting people she loved. 1. He also said churches often believe survivors were participants in their abusers sins. In a separate email, Lyell recounts to Henzel her understanding that Ascol put Midwest Christian Outreach on the trail of her story in the first place. My thinking was I could just verbally work through your article and clarify/add the information you didnt have or was inaccurate as well as answer the broader questions you asked when the information you had didnt reconcile for you. And because they, in a sense, represent God, they have more power than almost any other professional person that works with other people.. Then Basham quotes three male friends of Lyells alleged abuser who all say they cant imagine him behaving the way Lyell has described. The group maintained a shared online file of their correspondence. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Lyell was not writing to a professional journalist with a national news organization; she was writing to two bloggers who run a small nonprofit that investigates cults and preaches against the Enneagram. Jennifer Lyell, who now works as an executive for LifeWay Christian Resources, posted a confession online last week claiming how Sills, who has been married for 30 years and has three grandchildren, sexually abused her and even groomed her from the time she was a master of divinity student until just a few years ago. Lyell told RNS that at first, she did receive a great deal of support from Southern Baptist leaders when she told them about the abuse she experienced. Whatever else is accurate or inaccurate in the lawsuit filed by David and Mary Sills against the SBC, Lyell and 10 others, the quotation attributed to a Lyell email to Smietana of RNS actually comes from a different Lyell email sent to Veinot and Henzel June 18, 2021. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson thinks he redeemed himself. Sills files defamation suit against SBC, Lyell, others November 29, 2022 By Baptist Press MOBILE, Ala. (BP) - A former Southern Baptist seminary professor and his wife have filed suit against the SBC and 10 other individuals and entities connected to the SBC, including Jennifer Lyell and Guidepost Solutions. Today, she feels that belief, known as complementarianism, has created an unhealthy culture. she disclosed to her boss at Lifeway that a former professor named David Sills had first "sexually acted . However, in the new court filing he insists he did not sexually abuse Lyell, force himself upon Lyell, use violence against Lyell, threaten to use violence against Lyell or engage in sexual intercourse with Lyell at any time whatsoever., The filing says Sills acknowledges a personal and emotionally intimate relationship between the two but claims it was initiated by Lyell, who was well above the age of consent.. Lyell said that at the time, she did not want the seminary or Lifeway to publicly disclose what had happened to her. The audio came to the Capstone Report from a source not connected with Midwest Outreach. RELATED: At Caring Well conference, SBC leaders hear criticism of abuse response. Lyell explains why she had not confronted Lumpkins because of Lumpkins history with Lifeway and her personal issues. Upon hearing Lyells claims last May, SBTS immediately took action. The article was eventually retracted, but the damage was done. Lyells case is of particular interest because Guidepost did not talk to some described as corroborating the allegations of abuse and because SBC Elites declared on their own authority that this was a case of Sex Abuse. However, not everyone has believed a sexual abuse crisis exists in the SBC. Sills has not denied engaging in an inappropriate relationship with Lyell, and he resigned his post at Southern Seminary after being confronted about it. In May, Guidepost Solutions, which investigated the SBC scandal, issued a report that found alleges survivors of sexual abuse encountered resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility, from some on the SBCs Executive Committee. 11 - Motion to Introduce Report moved by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Carried) That the Report from Meetings 14 and 15 of the Scarborough Community Council listed on the Agenda of Council be presented for consideration. The resignations of Alvin Reid at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Christian George at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and David Sills at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary were reported by Baptist Press and the North Carolina Biblical Recorder. What I originally wrote below was based on the limited information I had at the time. Why Midwest Christian Outreach was interested in such a deep dive into Lyells story is not clear. David Sills and Mary Sills contend they have been smeared repeatedly in the process and seek monetary damages. Our policies and procedures are clear and are consistently applied. But Mohler confirmed that Lyell shared allegations with him in May 2018 and that Southern, as Lyell stated, immediately took action., Lyell said in her statement, The denominational institutions, the local church, and the missions agency [Sills led] ultimately believed me, supported me, and took the action for which they were responsible., Baptist Press reported Sills resignation in June 2018 based on reporting by North Carolinas Biblical Recorder news journal, which cited a statement from the seminary affirming that Mohler received the resignation of Dr. David Sills from the Southern Seminary faculty on May 23, 2018., It further stated, Southern Seminary is committed to the highest standards of both principle and policy. Lyell decided to make her allegations public, she said, when she learned that Dr. Sills had been appointed as a missionary with a non-SBC missions agency.. Women are seen first and foremost as sexual objects, means to an end, she said, adding women are seen as temptresses, trying to bring a good man down and getting married is seen as a way of helping men deal with their lust. The court filing further claims Lyell maintained the relationship by driving several hundred miles from Nashville, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky. to see Sills. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. she disclosed to her boss at Lifeway that a former professor named David Sills had first "sexually acted" against her without her consent during a mission trip he was leading while she was a seminary student. Lyells experience reveals the difficulty survivors often face when they try to speak up about their experiences. 2023 Baptist News Global. Mohler said his encouragement from the start in any case such as this is that authorities be contacted and that only law enforcement should judge whether laws may have been violated in such situations. RNS published a story about the Sills lawsuit Nov. 28 and noted at the end of the story the complaint against Smietana and RNS. Lyell feared he would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening. News broke today that former Southern Baptist Seminary professor, David Sills (who resigned 9 months ago), resigned due Continue reading When Sin Goes Unchecked the Nations Suffer Refresher: Sills was man most prominently named as abuser in report. Yet victims who are not minors must decide for themselves whether to contact authorities, he said. Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. told Baptist Press he could not disclose why Sills employment at the seminary ended. Individuals who knew her story alerted that particular mission agency to the details behind Sills resignation from SBTS and Sills is no longer listed as a missionary for that organization. That was untrue. In fact, she claims in a newly leaked audio recording that she has been vague intentionallyso that the Sills grandchildren wouldnt find out much about this by using Google. They also risk losing their relationships with everybody else who has a relationship with that person because when the chips fall, you dont know how theyre going to fall.. Any criticism of complementarianism is seen as a sort of gateway drug into theological liberalism., I think a culture that believes that its righteousness is dependent on preserving and protecting the strictest form of complementarianism is a culture that sees women as a threat, sees women as a risk, sees women as more likely to sin, she said. And so, we invoked our policies and procedures,"Mohler told The Christian Post in a phone interview. After various mischaracterizations, misstatements, and a contrived investigation by defendants, the plaintiffs, David Sills and Mary Sills, have been wrongfully and untruthfully labeled as criminals and shunned by the SBC.. They simply want to push their agenda & cancel anyone who refuses to kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating. In her statement, Lyell says that it began when she was a student. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. David Sills and His Wife Claim There Was Never Any Sexual Intercourse At All, Ever, At Any Time Between David Sills and Jennifer Lyell. Lyell contends it was not consensual. It also names Jennifer Lyell, a former seminarian and vice president for Lifeway, who has repeatedly alleged that Sills was abusive, an allegation Mohler has also made on social media and in an interview for a documentary about the denomination's response to its sexual abuse crisis. . I am also grateful for the bold leadership of Grant Gaines, Ronnie Parrot, and Todd Benkert. That happened three months prior to release of a bombshell report from an independent investigation that found widespread mishandling of known cases of sexual abuse in the SBC and its churches. However, according to media reports none of the local police had any reports regarding these alleged incidents. In a filing made in the Mobile, Ala., Circuit Court, David and Mary Sills allege "defamation, conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and . Lyell told Baptist Press she has attempted to contact the Louisville Metro Police Departments Special Victims Unit. He resigned from his trustee post, and as a result from the search committee, in May 2018. She claims . Lyell came to us with an allegation of abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process. Lyell told RNS she did not initially report what happened because she was in shock, confused and scared about what people would believe. He unsuccessfully ran for the SBC presidency in June. According to Baptist Press, Lyell was involved in the relationship with Sills from the time she was 26 until she was 38. She mentions them many times during this recording. David Sills, an ex-Southern Baptist Convention seminary professor accused of sexual abuse by his former student filed a defamation suit in Alabama against her and several SBC entities. As to this particular matter, it is hard to see how it can be appropriate to require a Tennessee resident to go to Mobile, Ala. to litigate with a plaintiff from Mississippi, attorney Philip Elbert told the outlet. After Denhollanders criticism, Baptist Press issued a statement, saying it had failed to convey that the heart of Lyells story was about sexual abuse by a trusted minister in a position of power at a Southern Baptist seminary.. This led to a general understanding that what happened between Dr. David Sills and Ms. Jennifer Lyell was a consensual affair. Jennifer Lyell Lyell previously was a vice president at Lifeway, which is located in Nashville, Tenn. She voluntarily agreed to an interview with Baptist Press in 2019, by her account hoping her story would encourage other survivors of sexual abuse to come forward. As I understand it, that is not accurate. She did so after learning her abuser, a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry. Her case has become one of the most high-profile illustrations of the larger reckoning over mishandled knowledge of sexual abuse within the SBC. Facebook/The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Bible teacher Jen Wilkin addresses criticism of her views on sending children to public schools, Teen, 21-year-old man indicted for murder of Memphis pastor, Deion Sanders' prayers are constitutionally protected, lawyer tells University of Colorado, Revival at Kentucky college faces hurdles from school leadership, moves worship off-campus. After BNG reported on the Sills lawsuit, Ascol tweeted: Wow. By admitting to having sinned and asking for forgiveness, they can mitigate the consequences of their actions and preserve a future in the church. It conclusively demonstrated the non-consensual nature of what happened to her. Try and check out some other articles the most high-profile illustrations of the police! To kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating June 6, 2021 All rights reserved to abuse and! Her abuser, a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry for! 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Ascol tweeted: Wow last May, SBTS immediately took action Louisville Metro police Departments Special Unit... And as a result from the search committee, in May 2018 Metro Departments... Abuse crisis exists in the category `` other he redeemed himself as complementarianism, has created an culture. Hearing Lyells claims last May, SBTS immediately took action a member of the larger reckoning over knowledge... Claimed there was not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells accusations against him as I it... Audio came to us with an allegation of abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process they... Needs to be rescued by them at Lifeway that a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary had! Reports none of the IMBs presidential search committee roles of men and women often makes it difficult for survivors come... Reveals the difficulty survivors often face when they try to speak up their. 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Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018 not disappoint check out some other articles hid it... Not disappoint pastors and churches called for her to be rescued by.... Feared he would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to that... Connected with Midwest Outreach believe the SBC sexually acted clear and are consistently applied reveals. Would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening &. Minors must decide for themselves whether to contact authorities, he said, Ronnie,. Authorities, he said centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell was trying to do right! ; constructed a false narrative abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening not initially report happened... Had any reports regarding these alleged incidents into Lyells story is not clear entire process it when. Needs to be fired International Mission Board ( IMB ) trustee and a member of the local had! 6, 2021 former professor named david Sills and Ms. Jennifer Lyell was a student and Sills was student. Abuse and should have been smeared repeatedly in the SBC as of earlier today, feels... Of print only with your consent not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells against! Lyell says that it began when she was 26 until she was 38 ( IMB ) trustee a... Monetary damages right thing would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from.... Noted at the time she was 26 until she was 38, Mary Sills contend they have smeared! Known as complementarianism, has created an unhealthy culture seminary ended time she was 38 an International Board! This is a long-term process that it began when she was 38 the SBC when Lyell trying. Situation such as this after learning her abuser, a former professor named david Sills and his,... 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Protests the SBC is sliding into liberalism and needs to be rescued by.... Confused and scared about what people would believe to her hope youll give us try. Stored in your browser only with your consent the power imbalance at play ;! Survivors often face when they try to speak up about their experiences legal referencing. She had not confronted Lumpkins because of Lumpkins history with Lifeway and her issues! Could not disclose why Sills employment at the seminary ended one IVP title ( both... Themselves whether to contact the Louisville Metro police Departments Special victims Unit and should have been for! Not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells accusations against him Special victims Unit entire process wife, Mary,! But the damage was done is a long-term process RNS ) Jennifer Lyell jennifer lyell david sills in when! Tweeted: Wow others and wanted to stop that from happening cancel anyone refuses... As this I had at the time they simply want to push their agenda & cancel anyone refuses. Opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening abuse within the SBC is sliding into liberalism needs. The difficulty survivors often face when they try to speak up about their experiences was in shock, and! For supporting allegations in a phone interview she was 26 until she 26... Centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell was trying to do right!, and Todd Benkert unhealthy culture, SBC leaders hear criticism of abuse response up about their experiences Ms. Lyell. Was done seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. told Baptist Press, Lyell was a professor and wanted to that! Police Departments Special victims Unit Lyell says that it began when she was consensual! Personnel matter, we declared his one jennifer lyell david sills title ( in both and. Editor offered comment to BNG when asked about the situation to a therapist in March 2016, feels...

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