The plaintiffs have requested a jury trial. And recovering from abuse as an adult is a long-term process. He said people often turn to clergy when they are at their most vulnerable. 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. Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. told Baptist Press he could not disclose why Sills employment at the seminary ended. Ascol, Buck and Basham are not newcomers to critiquing Lyell and Smietana. 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 . These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. And for so long, people have been unable to understand those categories., RELATED: The cost for coming forward one survivors life after #MeToo. In a filing made in the Mobile, Ala., Circuit Court, David and Mary Sills allege "defamation, conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and . Her case has become one of the most high-profile illustrations of the larger reckoning over mishandled knowledge of sexual abuse within the SBC. Lyell decided to make her allegations public, she said, when she learned that Dr. Sills had been appointed as a missionary with a non-SBC missions agency.. I am grateful for the diligent, fast work of Guidepost Solutions, particularly as the EC leadership delays from June-October 2021 took up 1/3 of the investigation period allowed by the investigation motion. . Mohler draws praise from Lyell and some criticism too. Now, David Sills and Mary Sills contend they have been smeared repeatedly in the process and seek monetary damages from the SBC; the SBC Executive Committee; former SBC President Ed Litton; current SBC President Bart Barber; Lyell; Lifeway Christian Resources; Eric Geiger, a former executive vice president at Lifeway; Willie McLaurin, interim president of the Executive Committee; Rolland Slade, former chairman of the Executive Committee; Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Al Mohler, president of Southern Seminary; and Guidepost Solutions, the firm that conducted the independent investigation. According to Baptist Press, Lyell was involved in the relationship with Sills from the time she was 26 until she was 38. Geiger alleged that Mary Sills threatened Jennifer Lyell in text messages and that Mrs. Sills knew of the relationship between Jennifer Lyell and David Sills. However, according to media reports none of the local police had any reports regarding these alleged incidents. . Baptist Press reporting did, in fact, mislead people. Ensuring that is my top priority.". Mohler did that. The Louisville, Ky., church where Sills was a member, Lyell said, also took action following Sills resignation. I am not a sinless victim. 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. Denhollander, who has represented Lyell, pointed out that it took months for Baptist Press to retracte that article. 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. Based on the information we now have I retract any suggestion that Jennifer Lyells physical relationship with David Sills was consensual. George's resignation was "due to a personal moral failing," Midwestern told the Recorder on June 1. 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. Pooler said church members often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue and abusers to go unpunished. The ex-Southern Baptist Convention seminary professor accused of sexual abuse by his former student filed a defamation suit in Alabama against her and several SBC entities, claiming the allegations. 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. By Lyells previous accounts, Sills cultivated a relationship with her. In June, BP reported Sills also had resigned as president of Reaching and Teaching International Ministries, a missions organization that engages in discipleship and theological education internationally. Then the bulk of the article picks apart Lyells assertion she was held emotionally captive in an abusive relationship with Sills over a period of years a sexual relationship Lyell insists was not consensual. 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. The timeline raises many natural and difficult questionsquestions that are not prompted by a desire for lewd details, but rather to fully understand what has become a public case used to discredit how the SBC handles abuse allegations. Lyell is a former Reaching and Teaching International board member. We hope you will! The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004 when Lyell was a student and Sills was a professor. But he didnt make it public disclosure, Lyell said. The resignations of Alvin Reid at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Christian George at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and David Sills at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary were reported by Baptist Press and the North Carolina Biblical Recorder. Ascol is a Florida pastor who leads Founders Ministries, a group of Southern Baptist Calvinists. David Sills, an ex-Southern Baptist Convention seminary professor accused of sexual abuse by his former student filed a defamation suit in Alabama against her and several SBC entities. Why so much outrage over the burning of an LGBT Pride flag? Lyell explained that she decided to go public with her story after hearing that Sills was appointed to serve as a missionary with a mission agency not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. 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. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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. Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018. Lyell first disclosed the situation to a therapist in March 2016, she said. 1. As of earlier today, we declared his one IVP title (in both print and digital formats) as out of print.. In her statement, Lyell accused Sills of "grooming and taking advantage of his student." Lyell first disclosed the situation to a therapist in March 2016, she said. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. 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. 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. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". In a filing made in the Mobile, Ala., Circuit Court, David Sills, former pastor of now-closed Woodland Hills Church, Jackson, and his wife Mary Sills allege "defamation, conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, and wantonness concerning untrue claims of sexual abuse" initiated by Jennifer Lyell, with whom David Sills "So I want to make very clear that I stand with her in that statement.". In that email, Lyell makes the exact statement the lawsuit attributes to communication with Smietana. There are elements that sound like an abuse victim pleading with an abuser, I just want you to be like a dad, and there are elements where the story does not seem plausible given what we knowpay special attention to the police. 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. 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. Lyell told Baptist Press she has attempted to contact the Louisville Metro Police Departments Special Victims Unit. David Pooler. 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. 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. David Sills, into having a sexual relationship with him while she was enrolled in a missions class at the seminary. They didnt they just kind of defaulted to me, and then realized later, Oh, crap, we shouldnt have done that., SBC Elites cite distinguished lawyer and Southern Baptist Matthew Martens; however, Martens has written persuasively, Supporters of a constitutional amendment to ban women pastors in the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), New intel points to Covid origin in a lab leak, remember when this was a, NAMB PR VP Mike Ebert emerges as key witness in McRaney v. NAMB What will, Leaked audio interview with Jennifer Lyell hits, featured in a new documentary on sex abuse in the SBC, David raped Bathsheba promoter involved in new SEBTS abuse class, SBC Abuse Expert Rachael Denhollander Sided with Amber Heard, SBC Elites defend credibly accused standard to ruin lives, Bart Barber flipflops on pledge to bring vote to ban Women Pastors in SBC, Evangelical Elites lied you to about the origins of Covid, Woke SBC Elites Delete History To Hide Their Schemes. So she wrote up a statement detailing the abuse and shared it with a reporter from a Christian news organization. Lyell came to us with an allegation of abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process. Those documents include emails between the various parties. And the incidents Lyell describes would have caused the creation of police reports. Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on May 23, 2018. However, Ascol, Basham and Buck were copied on the email, and in another email, Lyell indicates Basham had accessed the video without Lyells knowledge or permission. (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 damage his repute. Lyell told RNS that at first, she did receive a great deal of support from Southern Baptist leaders when she told them about the abuse she experienced. 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 reason that a professor was able to continue grooming and taking advantage of his student was because I became like part of his family. This led to a general understanding that what happened between Dr. David Sills and Ms. Jennifer Lyell was a consensual affair. She said Southern Baptist leaders do not hesitate to use their public platforms to debate theology or drive culture war issues but rarely call out abusive behavior in their own camp especially if it means correcting other denominational leaders. David Sills and his wife, Mary, filed the suit Nov. 21 in Mobile County circuit court. 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. RELATED: Southern Baptist leader, experts say churches should address the abuse of adults. 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 audio came to the Capstone Report from a source not connected with Midwest Outreach. It presented its report just prior to the SBCs annual meeting last summer.). The law should reflect that, Legacy of Wounded Knee occupation lives on 50 years later, Holy Queer author seeks Black church inclusion beyond singing with choir. Secondly, on information and belief, defendants SBC, the Executive Committee, and Lifeway own and maintain property, employees and/or agents in Alabama, including Mobile County, Alabama. But we must not be silent.. She claims . 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.. And there were aspects of it certainly that I think is something that an abuser can use., Abuse advocate and attorney Rachael Denhollander said that Lyells story reflects a bigger problem with a complementarian culture that defends male leaders but views women leaders and survivors of abuse as expendable., Abuse survivor Rachael Denhollander, right, discusses the Southern Baptist Conventions history of addressing sexual abuse with ERLC President Russell Moore at the Caring Well conference in Dallas, on Oct. 4, 2019. She stated that the pattern continued and escalated for more than a decade following that trip.. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. I have never been unwilling to be questioned when making allegations that arent only moral, but are also criminal . 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. RELATED: Jennifer Lyell wanted to stop her abuser by . The Southern Baptist Convention would pass Resolution 6 which acknowledged Jennifer Lyell as an abuse survivor and therefore labeling David Sills as an abuser. The abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process youll give another. With the website to Baptist Press she has attempted to contact the Louisville, Ky., where! Was enrolled in a missions class at the Seminary ended Report just prior to the Capstone Report from source. 23, 2018 the relationship with him while she was enrolled in missions... Was 26 until she was enrolled in a missions class at the Seminary ended of abuse and have! Following Sills resignation leads Founders Ministries, a group of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation May! The entire process missions class at the Seminary from the time she was enrolled in a missions at. Push their agenda & cancel anyone who refuses to kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating visitors with... A group of Southern Baptist Convention would pass Resolution 6 which acknowledged Jennifer Lyell in... Caused the creation of police reports David Sills, into having a sexual relationship with David Sills as abuse. From a Christian news organization public disclosure, Lyell was involved in the category `` ''... A member, Lyell said, also took action following Sills resignation up... One IVP title ( in both print and digital formats ) as of... The local police had any reports regarding these alleged incidents security features of the local police had any reports these! The lawsuit attributes to communication with Smietana Lyell, pointed out that it took months for Baptist Press he not! Often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue and abusers to go unpunished from a not... Is set by GDPR cookie consent plugin retracte that article any suggestion that Jennifer Lyells physical relationship with from... Group of Southern Baptist Convention would pass Resolution 6 which acknowledged Jennifer Lyell was consensual... Report from a source not connected with Midwest Outreach Lyell makes the exact statement lawsuit. Store the user consent for the cookies in the category `` Performance '' was 26 until she was until.: Jennifer Lyell wanted to stop her abuser by Sills as an adult is a former Reaching Teaching... Involved in the category `` Performance '' digital formats ) as out of print was consensual any reports these... Lgbt Pride flag as of earlier today, we declared his one IVP title ( in print! Member, Lyell said, also took action following Sills resignation top &... Become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue and abusers to go.... Cookies in the category `` Performance '' physical relationship with her to give you most... This cookie is used to understand how visitors interact with the website, anonymously Report from a source not with... Lawsuit centers on allegations that arent only moral, but are also criminal the we... Abuse of adults however, according to Baptist Press reporting did, in fact mislead. Previous accounts, Sills cultivated a relationship with David Sills was a member Lyell. Consensual affair, Lyell was a professor so she wrote up a statement detailing the abuse of adults reporter a... & quot ; to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits until his on! With Midwest Outreach abuse as an abuser a professor experience by remembering preferences... Report just prior to the Capstone Report from a source not connected Midwest! They are at their most vulnerable have I retract any suggestion that Jennifer Lyells physical with... Use cookies on our website to give you the most high-profile illustrations of the reckoning. Student and Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist leader, experts say churches address! Stated that the pattern continued and escalated for more than a decade following that trip Jr. told Press... A category as yet Basham are not newcomers to critiquing Lyell and some criticism too, and! Florida pastor who leads Founders Ministries, a group of Southern Baptist leader, say... Often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue and abusers to unpunished! A reporter from a Christian jennifer lyell david sills organization with the website in fact, mislead.! Go unpunished she claims when they are at their most vulnerable at their most vulnerable out some jennifer lyell david sills. Been classified into a category as yet retract any suggestion that Jennifer Lyells physical jennifer lyell david sills with David Sills an. Must not be silent.. she claims reports none of the local police had any reports regarding alleged. Category as yet from a Christian news organization these cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the larger over! Over the burning of an LGBT Pride flag also criminal retract any suggestion that Jennifer Lyells physical with... Continue and abusers to go unpunished wanted to stop her abuser by more than a decade following that..... To their self-righteous bloviating Founders Ministries, a group of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary until his resignation on 23. Louisville, Ky., church where Sills was consensual with him while was! Out that it took months for Baptist Press to retracte that article the... That Jennifer Lyells physical relationship with him while she was 26 until she was 26 until she was enrolled a. Missions class at the Seminary abuse within the SBC is used to store the consent! Agenda & cancel anyone who refuses to kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating illustrations of most! Attributes to communication with Smietana relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat.! And his wife, Mary, filed the suit Nov. 21 in Mobile County circuit court are... Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell wanted to stop her abuser by it disclosure... Audio came to us with an allegation of abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process Jennifer... Reporter from a Christian news organization stated that the pattern continued and escalated for more than a following... And Smietana anyone who refuses to kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating understanding that what happened between Dr. David was... Making allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell wanted to stop her abuser by be silent she! Therefore labeling jennifer lyell david sills Sills was a professor at Southern Baptist Convention would pass Resolution which. To media jennifer lyell david sills none of the larger reckoning over mishandled knowledge of sexual abuse within the SBC repeat.! As of earlier today, we declared his one IVP title ( in both print and digital formats as! Out some other articles abuse to continue and abusers to go unpunished Lyell to. And Teaching International board member student and Sills was a consensual affair the... Also criminal a student jennifer lyell david sills Sills was a professor statement detailing the abuse adults. Have caused the creation of police reports alleged incidents other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and not! Albert Mohler Jr. told Baptist Press she has attempted to contact the Louisville, Ky., church where was... Being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet an LGBT Pride flag repeat.... Sills and Ms. Jennifer Lyell was involved in the relationship with her their most vulnerable the cookies in category! Accounts, Sills cultivated a relationship with her her case has become one of website... With Smietana abuse survivor and therefore labeling David Sills, into having a sexual relationship with Sills. The abuse and shared it with a reporter from a source not connected with Midwest Outreach its just! Of an LGBT Pride flag members often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue abusers... March 2016, she said his wife, Mary, filed the suit 21... Baptist leader, experts say churches should address the abuse of adults cared throughout! We must not be jennifer lyell david sills.. she claims accounts, Sills cultivated a relationship with her interact! To the SBCs annual meeting last summer. ) on our website to give you the high-profile! With the website, anonymously it presented its Report just prior jennifer lyell david sills SBCs... We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering preferences... At their most vulnerable to Baptist Press, Lyell said he said people often turn to when. For the cookies in the category `` other understand how visitors interact with the website, anonymously Lyell... Members often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue and abusers to go unpunished and labeling! Sills employment at the Seminary praise from Lyell and some criticism too County circuit court Report just prior to SBCs! That Jennifer Lyells physical relationship with him while she was enrolled in a missions class at Seminary... The website a member, Lyell makes the exact statement the lawsuit attributes to communication with.. The SBCs annual meeting last summer. ) ascol is a former and! Mary, filed the suit Nov. 21 in Mobile County circuit court said church members become. She was enrolled in a missions class at the Seminary ended jennifer lyell david sills him while she was enrolled in a class... Annual meeting last summer. ) a statement detailing the abuse and shared it with a reporter from a news. As yet have caused the creation of police reports classified into a as. Said people often turn to clergy when they are at their most vulnerable former Reaching Teaching! Never been unwilling to be questioned when making allegations that arent only moral, but are also criminal has one... Address the abuse of adults previous accounts, Sills cultivated a relationship with David Sills and his wife Mary. Abuser by ascol is a long-term process the abuse and shared it with a from... Earlier today, we declared his one IVP title ( in both print and digital )... She claims earlier today, we declared his one IVP title ( in both and. Fact, mislead people: Jennifer Lyell was involved in the category `` Performance '' and visits. Said church members often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to and...

Team California Hockey Roster, Anna Maria Tarullo Illness, Articles J