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. Lyell contends it was not consensual. I am not a sinless victim. 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. The Capstone Report reached out to verify the audio and for comment about the provenance of the audio. All rights reserved. Today, she feels that belief, known as complementarianism, has created an unhealthy culture. 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. 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.. "[O]ur policies and procedures work and we work hard to make certain that they are up to date with best practices. Baptist Press eventually apologized for the article, but Lyell said she had already been devastated by the repercussions of its inaccurate reporting. 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 we met with him within hours of his arrival back in the United States since our policies call for an immediate conversation. Jennifer Lyell . 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. David Pooler. Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018. (June 15, 2020) Letter from David S. Crawford, Streetscape Coordinator, St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Association (EX.Supp . "I think she was courageous in making those statements and I think it sets an example for how others should also demonstrate an equal courage," Mohler said. 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. Lyells case brings up a host of other issues that confuse average Southern Baptists. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. This wasnt by accident; I believe it was by design, Lyell wrote. 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. . All rights reserved. At SBTS, Mohler assured that the institution's biblical and moral standards "aren't up for any renegotiation. The abuser often spends years grooming a victim and then does not let the victim go. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. Lyell first disclosed the situation to a therapist in March 2016, she said. 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. Although the lawsuit was filed in Alabama, David Sills lives in Mississippi. Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018. 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 When I shared what had happened to me with my boss at LifeWay [Geiger] and then later with SBTS President Dr. R. Albert Mohler, I was quick to also share the responsibility I bore for being compliant at times, for not telling immediately and for so idolizing the idea of a whole family that I protected it despite what was happening within it, Lyell said. We say that we are not this hierarchy but in reality, we function like we are protecting the barracks of the Vatican, she said. Ascol ran for SBC president on the slogan Change the direction.. Things changed, however, once the abuse became public. Neither Smietana nor his editor offered comment to BNG when asked about the situation. The Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee earlier this year offered a public apology and a confidential monetary settlement to Lyell and announced the resolution during their February meeting in Nashville. The suit states: On June 18, 2022, Defendant Lyell wrote to Religion News Services (RNS) and Reporter Bob Smietana, the following: 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. As Veinot explains on the website: Our mission is to give clear answers, and a solid defense of the orthodox biblical faith, to all types of unbelievers atheists, agnostics, as well as members of cults and new religious groups such as the Jehovahs Witnesses, Mormons, the International Churches of Christ, and so on. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. Pastoral misconduct is seen as a moral failing rather than an abuse of power. She did so after learning her abuser, a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry. Who those others were is not clear. In her statement, Lyell says that it began when she was a student. This issue caught fire on Twitter, where critics of SBC leadership and of the sexual abuse study picked it up, prompting retweets and commentary. 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. She did so after learning her abuser, former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author, and missionary David Sills, had recently returned to ministry. She praised SBTS for acting swiftly after she contacted Mohler. 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.. Why so much outrage over the burning of an LGBT Pride flag? 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. 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. All rights reserved (About Us). Though 30 pages in length, the key facts allged are right on the first page. 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. It looked idyllic on the surface. As such, Jennifer Lyell seems to be someone who is the victim of horrendous sexual abuse. It conclusively demonstrated the non-consensual nature of what happened to her. RNS published a story about the Sills lawsuit Nov. 28 and noted at the end of the story the complaint against Smietana and RNS. Instead of receiving support and compassion, she found herself trying to convince critics she was not responsible for the abuse she had experienced at the hands of the former professor. The string of email correspondence viewed by BNG implies Buck contacted Lyell to ask questions about her claims. I have never been unwilling to be questioned when making allegations that arent only moral, but are also criminal . Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here. Lyell came to us with an allegation of abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process. She describes being shocked and blaming herself despite that she had not initiated the encounter. The hundreds of titles that the Books business team has acquired, developed, or managed under Jennifer's leadership include more than a dozen New York Times bestsellers, as well as CT . She challenged those who questioned her motives. How did Bob Smietana avoid being named in this lawsuit? In that email, Lyell makes the exact statement the lawsuit attributes to communication with Smietana. We hope you will! And Christian theology about sin and about the roles of men and women often makes it difficult for survivors who come forward. Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. David Sills 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.. Sills also served as an International Mission Board (IMB) trustee and a member of the IMBs presidential search committee. In a grievance filed Nov. 21 within the Circuit Courtroom of Cell, Alabama, David Sills, a former professor of missions and [] Mohler assured that he stands behind Lyell and her statement. 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. Based on the credible [Baptist Press report], which I learned of on Friday evening, we suspended inclusion of Sillss book on our site as we did more investigation, InterVarsity Press Publisher Jeff Crosby told CP in an email. David Sills and his wife, Mary, filed the suit Nov. 21 in Mobile County circuit court. For Sills, no reason for his resignation was stated by Southern. Heaven will be diverse. As I understand it, that is not accurate. 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. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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. 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. At the time, she was a 26-year-old master of divinity student, and the alleged relationship continued until she was 38, spanning a period in which Lyell moved from Louisville, Ky., to Chicago and then to Nashville, she told BP. Jen came forward at incredible personal cost to herself, to defend those who had no voice, Denhollander said. , no reason for his resignation was stated by Southern questions about her claims Smietana and RNS the of. And missionary, had recently returned to ministry roles of men and women makes! 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