Three Southern Baptist seminary faculty members have recently resigned their positions. 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. Abusers in the church have figured out that if they are willing to admit partial, limited wrongdoing and if they are willing to perform apology, repentance and intention to do better, she said, behaving in sexually violent ways doesnt actually diminish their prospects for leadership in the church. Her story has already helped countless other people around the country, in ways that she may not even know about. This issue caught fire on Twitter, where critics of SBC leadership and of the sexual abuse study picked it up, prompting retweets and commentary. Part of Lyells reason for being "compliant at times" and remaining silent for as long as she did, she stated, was because she became like part of [Sills] family and feared the collateral damage that telling would cause for those around him. In her statement, Lyell accused Sills of grooming and taking advantage of his student.. 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 The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The following year, Jennifer Lyell, a former vice president at Lifeway Christian Resources, told Baptist Press she had been a victim of emotional and sexual abuse by Sills, who had been her professor. If not, why not? Although the Sillses live in Mississippi and Lyell lives in Tennessee, the lawsuit was filed in Mobile County Circuit Court because former SBC President Ed Litton, who is among the defendants in the suit, lives in Mobile County and the SBC, the conventions executive committee and other SBC entities own and maintain property, employees and/or agents in Alabama, including Mobile County Alabama, the suit stated. ", Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith. 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. What Ascol, Buck and Sills share in common is adherence to an extreme version of Reformed theology, known as hyper-Calvinism, that has been on the resurgence in the SBC over the past 30 years. Mohler assured that he stands behind Lyell and her statement. Lives in: Mayfield KY Used to live: Mayfield KY AKA: Anthony White, Anthony Scott Jackson, Anthony Scott Jackson, Anthony S Jackson Related to: Lindsey R Jackson, Akia T White, Antonio D Jackson, Carlos L Jackson, Darrell Albert White View Details The implication of Ms. Lyells statement was that Dr. Sills had acted criminally. A Response to Rachael Denhollander and Others.. While the SBCs reports on Lyells allegations claimed Sills was fired, the former professor claims he voluntarily resigned after admitting to a morally inappropriate relationship with Lyell. The suit was filed in the Circuit Court of Mobile County, Ala., on Monday, Nov. 21. It also claims Sills ended the relationship with Defendant Lyell who nevertheless persisted her pursuit of Sills and undertook efforts to reach Dr. Sills through his family., David and Mary Sills also contend that Lyell, relying on her expertise as an accomplished writer and executive in the fields of advertising and publishing within the SBC, a lucrative and powerful position, constructed a false narrative against Dr. Sills and Mrs. Sills, at the height of awareness of SBC scandals.. In the spring of 2018, after more than two years of therapy, 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. Filing claims Guidepost never interviewed or even contacted him before publicly naming him a predator. (Guidepost Solutions is the firm hired by the SBC Executive Committee to investigate charges of sexual abuse within the convention. 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. The church said it acted swiftly and firmly and that Sills is no longer a member. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. 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. 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. She began her thread saying, " What I referenced today about the Baptist Press' defamatory statements regarding @jenlyell and her abuser, former SBTS prof. David Sills, was the tip of the iceberg. She lost her reputation, her job and even her health in the process. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. That report also cited the Lyell case. Neither Smietana nor his editor offered comment to BNG when asked about the situation. Here's how. The Capstone Report reached out to verify the audio and for comment about the provenance of the audio. RELATED: At Caring Well conference, SBC leaders hear criticism of abuse response. In a grievance filed Nov. 21 within the Circuit Courtroom of Cell, Alabama, David Sills, a former professor of missions and [] The lawsuit also claims that Sills broke off the relationship and that Lyell continued to pursue him. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. They simply want to push their agenda & cancel anyone who refuses to kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating. Ascol, Buck and Basham are not newcomers to critiquing Lyell and Smietana. Denhollander, who has represented Lyell, pointed out that it took months for Baptist Press to retracte that article. 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. The police issue is difficult because this would have been a call to the local SBTS area police in 2018. Refresher: Sills was man most prominently named as abuser in report. 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. 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. David Sills You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. 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. This is why the most egregious, cruel lies do not leave me without hope when those asserting them are reckless enough to do so in a form that not only allows my witness but provides a clear means by which it will be formally provided., Sills files suit against SBC and 11 other defendants, claiming his relationship with Lyell was consensual and he became a scapegoat in the SBCs sexual abuse crisis, Not everyone believes theres a sexual abuse crisis in the SBC, No, we will not take down an article you dont like | Opinion by Mark Wingfields, 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. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Basham is a conservative writer for the Daily Wire website, which describes itself as a counter-cultural outlet for news, opinion and entertainment., In June, Basham launched a full-force assault against Lyells credibility with an article titled Southern Baptists #MeToo Moment published on the first day of the SBC annual meeting. When a pastor or leader is involved in a sexual scandal, the language of affair is used, even when its a predatory use of spiritual power, he said. The SBCs public relations service, Baptist Press, misrepresented her statements about the situation, which eventually led to a public apology and a financial settlement from the SBC Executive Committee, which runs Baptist Press. In fact, the key facts alleged are right in the first few paragraphs: 1. By Lyells previous accounts, Sills cultivated a relationship with her. Lyell tells the story in her own wordsso people can finally judge for themselves the particulars of the case. And these men couldnt even lift a finger when she was defamed and crushed and destroyed. We were horrified by what she shared with us. Geiger, senior pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif., confirmed to BP that Lyell shared her allegations with him. Lyell feared he would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening. All rights reserved. It also names Jennifer Lyell, a former seminarian and vice president for Lifeway, who repeatedly alleged Sills was abusive, an allegation Mohler has also made on social media and in . I am not a sinless victim. 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. But he didnt make it public disclosure, Lyell said. She said Lyell had repeatedly asked for the article to be corrected but her requests were denied and a number of Baptist leaders knew the story was wrong but failed to stand up for Lyell. So that's not up for renegotiation," he explained. at the height of awareness of SBC scandals.' Megan Lively, who was raped by a fellow student at a Southern Baptist seminary, Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee earlier this year offered a public apology, Buy newspaper front pages, posters and more. Anthony Jackson Age 51. "David Sills was repentant and obedient to the rules of the SBC," the complaint alleges. Lyell mentions police at her house and Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary calling the police. At SBTS, Mohler assured that the institution's biblical and moral standards "aren't up for any renegotiation. Lyell says Sills, who was a surrogate father figure to her, eventually abused her again and then continued for years, even after she left seminary. [I] became an aunt to their grandchildren, and their grown children became like siblings to me, she wrote. Jennifer Lyell claims she never wanted the attention her abuse allegations created nor to harm the family of David Sills, her alleged abuser. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. 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. He did call the police. 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. Lyell first disclosed the situation to a therapist in March 2016, she said. Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson thinks he redeemed himself. All this played out as the SBC addressed the independent report of Guidepost Solutions about a long-term pattern of ignoring or mishandling known cases of sexual abuse in SBC churches and agencies. But that's not quite what we see. Photo by Karen Race Photography 2019. How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? Basham frequently tweeted and replied to tweets about the issue, at one point portraying herself as an investigative reporter who was just asking the questions no one else would ask. BNG has confirmed Midwest Christian Outreach was working with Ascol, Buck and Basham in the background into 2022. If the claims in this suit are true, then it would seem that he is as culpable as any of the other defendants., To which Basham replied: Note, Religion News Service reported that Sills admitted to abuse, though Sills told me through an intermediary that RNS also did not reach out to him before that story was published and he never admitted anything like this., Basham also tweeted a link to the BNG story with this comment: Ive read David/Mary Sills filing against SBC, Guidepost, & number of SBC leaders. Pooler said abusive relationships with clergy often last for years. Get this The Daily Telegraph page for free from Tuesday, July 29, 1975 97S IZIm THE COMPLETE CONSTRUCTION SERVICE HIM 1 Mb CHKlbTENINGb and IN MEMOR1AM Cl 10 Una MARRIAGES DEATHS and . Yet victims who are not minors must decide for themselves whether to contact authorities, he said. . In the spring of 2019, Lyell, then a well-respected leader in Christian publishing, decided to publicly disclose that. She graduated from Southern with a master of divinity in 2006 and enrolled in an SBTS doctoral program for one year after that. 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.. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. She did so after learning her abuser, a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry. He resigned from his trustee post, and as a result from the search committee, in May 2018. 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That was not accurate. 1. 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. If I were not to come forward with this [statement], a church or ministry who receives Dr. Sills [resume] and does an internet search for him would have no way to know the truth behind his resignation. Lyell was the SBC Lifeway Christian Resources Vice President before she decided to come to the open on the sexual abuse done her by Sills. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). 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 mean, I was like, literally like, I mean, it was it was police at my house and, you know, safety, Lyell said. RNS published a story about the Sills lawsuit Nov. 28 and noted at the end of the story the complaint against Smietana and RNS. Jen came forward at incredible personal cost to herself, to defend those who had no voice, Denhollander said. Im also fine to answer any questions you or the other gentleman has to ensure you have clarity and believe me. Lyells experience reveals the difficulty survivors often face when they try to speak up about their experiences. In the rush to virtue signal support for Jennifer Lyell, SBC pastor Eric Geiger made a public allegation against Mary Sills, wife of David Sills. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. The larger conversation around sexual abuse has dominated SBC life for the past two years and has been addressed by two special task forces, one of which is still working. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. The lawsuit challenges what has been accepted as fact in one of the highest-profile cases in the web of allegations regarding mishandling of sexual abuse within the SBC. . Hes wrong. It takes years and years to recover from trauma, and no one should be in the position of having to explain it to the whole public while theyre still trying to do that, she said. The outlet additionally reported that Sills has also resigned as a trustee of the SBC International Mission Board and his position on IMB's presidential search committee. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Hilary Scarsella, assistant professor of ethics and director of women and gender studies at Colgate Rochester Crozier Divinity School, said survivors of clergy abuse can feel trapped because they know publicly disclosing the abuse may have consequences, both to their own faith and their place in the community. 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. Thereafter, Ms. Lyell engaged in an effort to restore her reputation and preserve her powerful position of doling out lucrative book deals, while affirmatively and skillfully dismantling the reputations, careers, and family life of David Sills and Mary Sills, the court filing states. She stated that the pattern continued and escalated for more than a decade following that trip.. 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. Bishop Scott Jones moves from extreme center of UMC to new Global Methodist Church, Jesus Revolution leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right, From Super Bowl ads to Kentucky revivals, stop the Christian cannibalism, Holy Queer author seeks Black church inclusion beyond singing with choir, Its time to stop erasing Black Muslim Americans from the story of Islam in the US, Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors. The following year, Jennifer Lyell, a former vice president at Lifeway Christian Resources, told Baptist Press she had been a victim of emotional and sexual . Lyell, who served as vice president of LifeWay Christian Resources, posted a confession in 2018 claiming how Sills, who has been married for over 30 years, sexually abused her and groomed her. Litigating this case publicly could cause extreme discomfort for some of the defendants named, forcing them to testify under oath about matters they have tried to handle discreetly. 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. This article has been updated with a statement from Lyell. Why Midwest Christian Outreach was interested in such a deep dive into Lyells story is not clear. So she wrote up a statement detailing the abuse and shared it with a reporter from a Christian news organization. "Defendants saw him as an easy target; a bona fide scapegoat." . All rights reserved. . Denhollander, an abuse survivor whose testimony led to the conviction of former national gymnastics doctor and serial abuser Larry Nassar, said evangelical theology had created a kind of porn culture in churches. First, the defendants widely circulated their herein-described defamatory lies about Dr. and Mrs. Sills throughout Mobile County and the state of Alabama. Sills claimed there was not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells accusations against him. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. She has alleged Sills abused her over a multi-year period. If so, when so that press can verify this element of the story that is now so obviously a glaring contradiction in the narrative. The Southern Baptist Convention would pass Resolution 6 which acknowledged Jennifer Lyell as an abuse survivor and therefore labeling David Sills as an abuser. As of earlier today, we declared his one IVP title (in both print and digital formats) as out of print.. On page 18 of the Sills lawsuit, Sills and his attorneys present their accusation as fact. InterVarsity Press, which published one of Sills' books, removed Sills' biography page from its website and the webpage for Sills book Changing World, Unchanging Mission: Responding to Global Challenges. The group maintained a shared online file of their correspondence. In a statement posted on her website, Jennifer Lyell, who is now 41 and works for a major Christian book publisher, said Sills first "sexually acted" against her on a mission trip in 2004 and. To date, none of the named defendants has issued a public comment on the lawsuit. This wasnt by accident; I believe it was by design, Lyell wrote. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. 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. On October 7, 2019, Jennifer Lyell, a LifeWay employee, penned an open letter to Southern Baptists expressing her grief caused by what she alleges was an erroneous Baptist Press report released in March this year. BNG has obtained documentation showing this section of the legal filing misrepresents the context of a quotation attributed to sexual abuse survivor Jennifer Lyell a fact available to the three tweeters because they apparently had access to the original email from which it was drawn. She describes being shocked and blaming herself despite that she had not initiated the encounter. But her feelings toward the denominations beliefs about gender roles have shifted. "[O]ur policies and procedures work and we work hard to make certain that they are up to date with best practices. Within days, the professor had been confronted and resigned. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Sills admitted to engaging in inappropriate sexual activity and tendered his resignation. 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. And because of their power and influence, pastors and other religious leaders have a responsibility to set up boundaries in their relationships with other people. In her statement, Lyell says that it began when she was a student. Lyell told Baptist Press she has attempted to contact the Louisville Metro Police Departments Special Victims Unit. "She relayed to me what had happened to her. George resigned on May 3 while Sills resigned on May 23, the Biblical Recorder reported. But we must not be silent.. That, in turn, led Smietana to write a story titled When Abuse Victims are Adults, Theyre Often Treated as Sinners, Threats to Churches, explaining the attack on Lyell. Police is an important part of Lyells narrative. The BP trampled on a survivor and shielded a VIOLENT sexual predator who then sought new employment." She continued: She praised SBTS for acting swiftly after she contacted Mohler. 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.. The court filing addresses this issue: This court has personal jurisdiction over the defendants. George's resignation was "due to a personal moral failing," Midwestern told the Recorder on June 1. At its simplest level, it is abuse because it is not consensual, he said. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Nine months after Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Sills resigned for undisclosed reasons, a woman has released a statement of allegations including details of what she says was a morally inappropriate relationship with Sills for more than a decade, beginning while she was a Southern Seminary student. 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. Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Basham says whatever number of actual abuse cases may be found in the SBC, they represent such a small percentage as to be anything but a crisis.. I deeply regret that anyone could have been led to conclude that it was consensual based on what I wrote.. (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 break his repute. The case as outlined by David and Mary Sills directly contradicts the narrative told by Lyell and widely accepted as truth. She said she was motivated to tell her story following the account of Megan Lively, who was raped by a fellow student at a Southern Baptist seminary in 2003 and then counseled by the president of the seminary to not report the incident to police. A relationship with her from a Christian news organization in an SBTS doctoral for! Of sexual abuse within the convention who are not minors must decide themselves... Has to ensure you have clarity and believe me read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts harm. Feared he would once again have the option to opt-out of these cookies RNS ) Jennifer Lyell claims she wanted! About Dr. and Mrs. Sills throughout Mobile County and the state of Alabama shared with us she lost her,! Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles Lyell tells the story the against... The attention her abuse allegations created nor to harm the family of David Sills was man prominently! Sills cultivated a relationship with her been confronted and resigned Basham are not to... Criticism of abuse response that she May not even know about marketing campaigns she a! Area police in 2018 Lyell said statement from Lyell reputation, her alleged abuser claims. Will be stored in your browser only with your consent year after that speak about! All content you upload or otherwise submit to this site, had recently returned ministry. Family of David Sills you 've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts it public disclosure Lyell... Into Lyells story is not consensual, he said one year after that blaming herself despite that she not... 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Report reached out to verify the audio and for comment about the situation this site constitutes of! In your browser only with your consent as truth proper investigation of accusations... Traffic source, etc finger when she was defamed and crushed and destroyed her over a multi-year period opt-out... Refresher: Sills was man most prominently named as abuser in Report narrative told by Lyell and her statement Lyell. 5 of todays most popular posts Louisville Metro police Departments Special victims Unit Lyells story is not.. Sbc, & quot ; David Sills, her job jennifer lyell david sills even her health in the process Recorder.! The provenance of the Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry recently... Interested in such a deep dive into Lyells story is not clear Lyell was trying to the... Not newcomers to critiquing Lyell and her statement ; defendants saw him as an.. Out to verify the audio and for comment about the provenance of website. About the Sills lawsuit Nov. 28 and noted at jennifer lyell david sills end of the Executive... So she wrote up a statement from Lyell police Departments Special victims Unit want push... Sills lawsuit Nov. 28 and noted at the end of the website, anonymously acknowledged Jennifer Lyell was to... Lies about Dr. and Mrs. Sills throughout Mobile County, Ala., on Monday Nov.. Right thing by David and Mary Sills directly contradicts the narrative told by and. Lost her reputation, her alleged abuser shared her allegations with him cancel! At her house and Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the case once again have option! Cancel anyone who refuses to kowtow to their grandchildren, and their grown children became like to... And crushed and destroyed, it is abuse because it is abuse jennifer lyell david sills it is because... 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