Southern Baptist Convention Releases List of Hundreds of Sexual Misconduct Allegations

On Thursday, leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention released a previously secret 205-page list of hundreds of pastors and church workers who had been accused of sexual misconduct, mainly from 2000 to 2019. 

The list was published after the May 22 release of a 288-page report by investigative firm Guidepost Solutions, which found a pattern of silencing sexual abuse survivors and rejecting reforms. The investigation, which was ordered by the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee in 2021, led to the resignation of executive committee president and CEO Ronnie Floyd in October 2021. 

Several reports said the news caused “turmoil” among Southern Baptists nationwide. Baptist leaders addressed the release of the list in a statement, saying, “Our prayer is that the survivors of these heinous acts find hope and healing, and that churches will utilize this list proactively to protect and care for the most vulnerable among us.” While their membership is declining, Southern Baptists are the country’s largest Protestant Christian group, making up 4.5% of the U.S. population in 2018. 

Coverage was common across the spectrum, particularly in local outlets in states like Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Sensational language like “bombshell” and “apocalypse” was common in coverage throughout the week; one article in Christianity Today (Lean Right) compared the Southern Baptist Convention to the mafia.