Thread by @EddieRJ3

3 months ago it was discovered that @BruceAshford, the former provost of @SEBTS, was accused of attempting drug a young black female 15 min. from the Southern Baptist Seminary. Ashford was working for Lyft at the time and 17-year-old Eziya Bowden was his passenger.

Bowden claims Ashford sprayed something in the car that made her feel faint as he flirted with her. She jumped from the moving car and was subsequently rushed to the ER. Ashford lost his job with Lyft. No charges were filed. Here's why this is significant:

This is not the 1st time Ashford was accused of inappropriate behavior. Bruce's wife Lauren Ashford posted #metoo in August of 2020, a month after reaching out to @R_Denhollander and @BethMooreLPM for help with abuse & neglect. She accused @jdgreear & the SBC or self-protection.

She accused Bruce of hypocrisy on Facebook and hoped divorce would help her escape the "hell" she lived in.

From July of 2020 to March of 2021 Lauren repeatedly filed for emergency custody of their children. portal-nc.tylertech.cloud/app/RegisterOf…

Yet, for much of this time Bruce was still employed at SEBTS. He resigned as Provost in July but continued to teach into the Fall semester. Both @kswhitfield and @DannyAkin both gave Ashford glowing reviews. Yet, something was wrong. Ashford ended teaching abruptly in October.

The following summer Ashford revealed he was enrolled at a rehab for alcoholism. While there he drove for Lyft to make money. He wrote a reflection on his blog about his experience the next year, three months before he and Lauren divorced in June of 2022.

You may be wondering at this point why you have not heard about any of this despite focus on abuse in the SBC. Denhollander, Moore, & Greear were all publicly notified & said nothing. @reachjulieroys was notified from this account in November of 2021.

Ashford was instrumental in bringing down Paige Patterson. He advised Christians to "reject the temptation to dismiss the victim’s claims." He said husbands who abused their wives should go to jail. SEBTS and Summit Church (where Ashford had been an elder) supported Caring Well.

Yet, none of this made it to the @GuidepostGlobal report.

It was not mentioned at SEBTS - even inquiring into whether others were possibly abused.

It wasn't brought up at Summit Church.

Do SBC leaders care about this issue as much when it's one of their friends?

*Should read: From July of 2020 to March of 2021 Lauren repeatedly filed for custody and protection. She filed for emergency custody once. Bruce filed for emergency custody multiple times.

Bruce Ashford's material is still posted at @9Marks, @TGC, and @SEBTS. He endorsed @DrChrisWatkin new book "Biblical Critical Theory" (promoted by @thekellercenter). Are David Sill's or Paige Patterson treated this way?

Is it possible Ashford was falsely accused? It is. But, considering that possibility means throwing out the idea that survivors are automatically to be believed. Considering that possibility means apologizing to many whose lives were upended by the very logic Ashford supported.