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Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
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Aug 12 • 8 tweets • 8 min read
#BREAKING The Department of Justice is investigating the Southern Baptist Convention over its handling of sex abuses, months after a third-party report that was prompted by 2019 reporting by the @HoustonChron

Story via me @John_Tedesco #SBCtoo #ChurchToo
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
@HoustonChron @John_Tedesco The DOJ investigation follows a bombshell report from May, in which a third-party found that top SBC officials had for two decades intimidated abuse survivors and fought reforms that they privately said would help - but could cost $$ in lawsuits #SBCtoo
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
That report was prompted by Abuse of Faith, a 2019 investigation by @HoustonChron & @ExpressNews that detailed hundreds of criminal convictions by Southern Baptist pastors + decades of inaction by top leaders

They left behind more than 700 victims #SBCtoo
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
@HoustonChron @ExpressNews You can read the first of 100+ stories that we've since written about the Southern Baptist Convention and abuse here. #SBCtoo #SBC
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
In June, the Southern Baptist Convention passed long-sought reforms to curb abuse, and elected leaders that have been outspoken on the need for reforms + a broader change in the denomination's treatment of women, racial minorities and others. #SBC #SBCtoo
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
But - and as leaders have said - those were first steps, and the Southern Baptist Convention will need to do much more to account for years of mistreatment/abuse of survivors who have warned about this problem for years. #SBC #SBCtoo

Please read this:
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
As I said above: The @HoustonChron & @ExpressNews have been on the Southern Baptist story for years. We’ve written +150 stories that took tens of thousands of hours of work, minimum

Please consider subscribing so we can keep that work going. Thanks. #SBC
subscription.houstonchronicle.com/checkout/642/1…

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More from @RobDownenChron

Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
May 24
1/ Got thoughts on pirates? Like petty drama and/or care about abuse in the nation’s 2nd-largest Christian denom?

GOOD NEWS: I have an absurdly long and meticulously sourced #thread for you thats crucial to understanding that historic report on Southern Baptist abuse
On Monday, the Conservative Baptist Network Tweeted this statement about the historic report re: 20 years of SBC leaders’ attempts to silence abuse survivors/dismiss prevention reforms, among a litany of other accusations detailed in a ~400 pg. report. Image
CBN is a splinter SBC organization that was formed in 2020 re: what they say is a “liberal drift” in the SBC, one of the most theologically conservative denoms w/ members who still largely/staunchly support the GOP/Trump.
baptistpress.com/resource-libra…
Read 53 tweets
Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
May 22
#BREAKING An explosive 400pg investigation finds Southern Baptist leaders silenced/disparaged abuse survivors, ignored calls for policies & dismissed reforms that might cost the SBC money in lawsuits. #SBCtoo

Much more to come in thread below:
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
The historic report details how a small, insular and influential group of leaders “singularly focused on avoiding liability for the SBC to the exclusion of other" abuse preventions #SBCtoo #churchtoo

Some leaders also kept a private database of offenders
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
BIG NEWS: A former president of the Southern Baptist Convention is accused of sexually assaulting a woman, weeks after his tenure as the faith group's leader ended. he allegations are included in a historic review of SBC leaders abuse responses #SBCtoo
houstonchronicle.com/news/investiga…
Read 13 tweets
Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
Apr 12
NEW: Texas Supreme Court has sided w/ a man claiming decades of rapes by Southern Baptist & GOP figure Paul Pressler. #SBCtoo

It is "massive and important" because it gives other abuse survivors significantly more rights in Texas, said @R_Denhollander
houstonchronicle.com/home/article/T…
@R_Denhollander 1/ Pressler's accuser Duane Rollins says he used drugs/alcohol to suppress memories. In 2016, a prison psych agreed and said he had PTSD from child trauma. Rollins sued. Three other men filed affidavits alleging similar misconduct. But Rollins' suit was dismissed on SOL grounds.
@R_Denhollander 2/ Rollins sued with a new firm, Houston's powerful Baker Botts. His attys said the psych report + Rollins' "unsound mind" meant it was impossible for Rollins to file his lawsuit inside Texas' window for abuse lawsuits. They said his window shouldve started when he had his outcry
Read 6 tweets
Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
Jun 16, 2021
DEBATE BEGINS. Details in Tweets below #SBC19 #SBC2021 #SBCtoo
Begins with Ronnie Floyd: I hear you. The Executive Comm respects the messengers. We need this deliberative process. We know that this will make our convention stronger. #SBC21 #SBC2021 #SBCtoo #SBC
NOW: Troy Bush, whose church we covered this week, is now speaking. Accuses the executive committee of not even doing the bare minimum when "investigating" a church

"We believe that the executive comm does not have the ability to handle this task force." #SBC21 #SBC2021 @SBCtoo
Read 8 tweets
Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
Jun 16, 2021
NOW: 15K Southern Baptists will debate/vote on a third-party investigation into whether top leaders sought to suppress abuse survivors/stifle reforms/intimidate leaders like Russ Moore. #SBC2021 #SBC21 #SBCtoo

It's prolly more important than you think.

Here's why:
Sex abuse has again dominated discussions here, including in yesterdays presidential election. But that was among a variety of issues at hand.

This tho? It will be a huge indicator of how much Southern Baptists are willing to put on the line re: abuse. #SBC2021 #SBC21 #SBCtoo
Over the last three years, Southern Baptists have shown they're willing to do a lot of things, so long as they are forward-looking. That's great/important.

But true repentance means rectifying wrongs committed, regardless of the toll.

That's how survivors are seeing this vote.
Read 8 tweets
Robert Downen (blue check mark) Profile picture
Jun 16, 2021
Wednesday at #SBC21 begins with Grant Gaines speaking to his call for a third party investigation into the Exec committee and abuse.

"These are not allegations we can sweep yunder the rug. These are allegations we must get to the bottom to." #SBCtoo #SBC2021 #SBC
Gaines: "We should be bending over backwards to ensure we do everything we can."

Gaines then directs comments to survivors, tells them they matter and are worth fighting for.

A lot of applause. #SBCtoo #SBC2021 #SBC
Here is Gaines proposing the idea yesterday with @freedomsbride by his side. #SBC21 #SBCtoo #SBC2021 #SBC

Read 5 tweets

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