He said it is often easier for churches to blame victims than to look at the way they have empowered abusers. 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. Jennifer Lyell in 2019 decided to reveal she had been sexually abused by a former Southern Baptist seminary professor who had recently returned to ministry. In fact, she claims in a newly leaked audio recording that she has been vague intentionallyso that the Sills grandchildren wouldn't find out much about this by using Google. Based on the information we now have I retract any suggestion that Jennifer Lyells physical relationship with David Sills was consensual., By Aug. 3, 2021 about six weeks after the SBC annual meeting at which a Sexual Abuse Task Force was authorized Midwest Christian Outreach issued an update to its post with this note from Henzel: Shortly after this article was published, Jennifer Lyell graciously reached out to us and provided crucial details of her case both to me and to Midwest Christian Outreach, Inc. President Don Veinot. 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. That post cited the biblical story of David and Bathsheba to ask what constitutes a consensual sexual relationship versus rape. 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. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. She describes being shocked and blaming herself despite that she had not initiated the encounter. He did call the police. Those documents include emails between the various parties. Geiger told Lyell he was responsible to share the allegations with Southern and invited her to participate in the process, Geiger recounted to Baptist Press. Things made a little more sense last Friday when a woman named Jennifer Lyell (below) released a statement explaining how she had been engaged in an "inappropriate relationship" with Sills for nearly a decade, beginning when she was his student. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But that's not quite what we see. She wrote, "Dr. David Sills, then a tenured professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, first sexually acted against me on a mission trip in 2004, a pattern that continued and escalated . 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. How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? 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.. The same day, Geiger and Lyell contacted Mohler, he said. Sills claimed there was not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells accusations against him. 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. 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. 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. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. In the lawsuit, David Sills contends that he never even had sex with Jennifer Lyell during this twelve year long affair which he admits was inappropriate. If so, when so that press can verify this element of the story that is now so obviously a glaring contradiction in the narrative. It conclusively demonstrated the non-consensual nature of what happened to her. 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. 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. He said that he is "brokenhearted over the reality" of the situation. 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. 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. The church needs a way of understanding sin and violence that enables Gods grace without giving abusers back their power, their access and their good regard, she said. 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. In his lawsuit filed Nov. 21, Sills claimed Lyells allegedly false claims were repeated in SBC media as an opportunity to improve the appearance and reputation SBCs handling of abuse cases and made him a bona fide scapegoat.. Ascol is a Florida pastor who leads Founders Ministries, a group of Southern Baptist Calvinists. 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 also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. I now wonder if the only reason that a family relationship was ever presented as an option was to ensure I wouldnt tell what had happened in those first instances.. 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. RELATED: Jennifer Lyell wanted to stop her abuser by . For example, why did Lyell continue the relationship with the alleged abusers after graduating from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS)? In a filing made in the Mobile, Ala., Circuit Court, David and Mary Sills allege "defamation, conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and . [I] became an aunt to their grandchildren, and their grown children became like siblings to me, she wrote. If not, why not? The lawsuit also claims that Sills broke off the relationship and that Lyell continued to pursue him. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 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.. . Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. 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. In that email, Lyell makes the exact statement the lawsuit attributes to communication with Smietana. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. She did so after learning her abuser, a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry. Mississippi lawyer Don Barrett, one of the attorneys representing David Sills and his wife, Mary Sills, said that part of the complaint was in error, the story said. 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. We say that we are not this hierarchy but in reality, we function like we are protecting the barracks of the Vatican, she said. Her name appears on 37 pages of the report. 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. And it was not just the real devastation was the fact that I could not understand and still no one understands why that Baptist Press and the EC did what they did.. I deeply regret that anyone could have been led to conclude that it was consensual based on what I wrote.. Lyell built a strong relationship with Sills family over the years as she spent many of her weekends and holidays with them. Please click the "Register" link below to create a new account. Baptist Press reporting did, in fact, mislead people. Lyell sent a statement to both BNG and RNS: I do not need to be under oath to tell the truth and there are no lies that will shake my certainty about what is true. 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). The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004 when Lyell was a student and Sills was a professor. . 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. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". "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. All rights reserved. She claims . Mohler draws praise from Lyell and some criticism too. I have never been unwilling to be questioned when making allegations that arent only moral, but are also criminal and Im extremely thankful that all parties who received and investigated my allegations did press me for details necessary to understand what I was alleging given my age and the fact it was not a single occurrence as well as that I did not report anything to them for a very long time.. Lyell wrote that she first shared her story with her boss at LifeWay and then with Mohler. 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 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.. 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. She lost her reputation, her job and even her health in the process. Geiger said he contacted the other missions agency which he identified as Global Outreach International and they removed Sills from their employment. 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. 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. 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. Its complicated. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. She did so after learning her abuser, a former Southern Baptist seminary professor, author and missionary, had recently returned to ministry. In her statement, Lyell says that it began when she was a student. Veinot and his senior researcher, Ron Henzel, had conducted a video interview with Lyell and wrote about it on their blog under the headline Does Abuse Absolve Adultery? Photo by Karen Race Photography 2019. 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. Sills, former professor of missions and cultural anthropology at Southern, did not respond to request for comment. No thinking person with a backbone takes them seriously., Exactly one year before Basham published Southern Baptists #MeToo Moment, Midwest Christian Outreach, a small online apologetics site run by Don Veinot, highlighted Lyells case. Just over two years later, she stated the allegations to then-LifeWay Senior Vice President Eric Geiger and Mohler. I couldnt deal. After Baptist News Global broke the news that former seminary professor David Sills and his wife, Mary, filed a defamation lawsuit against the Southern Baptist Convention and 11 other defendants, three high-profile Southern Baptists took to Twitter to highlight one specific section of the 31-page legal document. We were horrified by what she shared with us. ", As a result of the conversation upon Sills' return, Mohler said "he was no longer a member of the faculty of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary from that time.". The string of email correspondence viewed by BNG implies Buck contacted Lyell to ask questions about her claims. As I understand it, that is not accurate. 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. 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. ", Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith. 1. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Lawsuit protests the SBC and third-party firm for supporting allegations in a new legal challenge referencing historic abuse report. 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.. Then Basham quotes three male friends of Lyells alleged abuser who all say they cant imagine him behaving the way Lyell has described. Since Mohler made a public comment just a few days ago, surely, he now has an obligation to answer this important question. 2023 Baptist News Global. Prior to the apology's issuance, she has informed SBC Executive Committee Chairman Rolland Slade in October regarding the pending disputes and legal claims she has due to her case. Lyell tells the story in her own wordsso people can finally judge for themselves the particulars of the case. Then Buck retweeted Basham to highlight her commentary about Sills and the SBC investigation. Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. David Pooler. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Ascol ran for SBC president on the slogan Change the direction.. And for so long, people have been unable to understand those categories., RELATED: The cost for coming forward one survivors life after #MeToo. Jen came forward at incredible personal cost to herself, to defend those who had no voice, Denhollander said. Refresher: Sills was man most prominently named as abuser in report. at the height of awareness of SBC scandals.' There are plenty of reasons to stay silent in a situation such as this. It presented its report just prior to the SBCs annual meeting last summer.). In her statement, Lyell accused Sills of "grooming and taking advantage of his student." 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