jennifer lyell david sills
That happened three months prior to release of a bombshell report from an independent investigation that found widespread mishandling of known cases of sexual abuse in the SBC and its churches. Instead of reporting she had been abused, Nashville-based Baptist Press, which is overseen by the Southern Baptist Conventions Executive Committee, reported in March 2019 that Lyell, then a vice president at Lifeway Christian Resources, had admitted being involved in a morally inappropriate relationship with her former professor. I couldnt deal. Her case has become one of the most high-profile illustrations of the larger reckoning over mishandled knowledge of sexual abuse within the SBC. I shared how 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 for more than a decade following that trip. Im also fine to answer any questions you or the other gentleman has to ensure you have clarity and believe me. In a post on her website, Lyell accused Sills of sexually abusing her during a 2004 mission trip and claimed the abuse continued over a decade. Its complicated. Rest assured, though, that regardless of venue, the case will be vigorously defended.. He unsuccessfully ran for the SBC presidency in June. One of Lyells advocates over the past three years has been Mohler, who has publicly stated he believed Lyells story as she has told it. 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. In fact, she claims in a newly leaked audio recording that she has been vague intentionallyso that the Sills grandchildren wouldnt find out much about this by using Google. For example, why did Lyell continue the relationship with the alleged abusers after graduating from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS)? However, not everyone has believed a sexual abuse crisis exists in the SBC. Lyell was even commended in an SBC Resolution for her bravery in standing against sex abuse. Heaven will be diverse. Just over two years later, she stated the allegations to then-LifeWay Senior Vice President Eric Geiger and Mohler. But he didnt make it public disclosure, Lyell said. Jennifer Lyell, who now works as an executive for LifeWay Christian Resources, posted a confession online last week claiming how Sills, who has been married for 30 years and has three grandchildren, sexually abused her and even groomed her from the time she was a master of divinity student until just a few years ago. ", Follow Samuel Smith on Twitter: @IamSamSmith. 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. She claims . The Complaint does not hid and it does not disappoint. Baptist Press eventually apologized for the article, but Lyell said she had already been devastated by the repercussions of its inaccurate reporting. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Based on the credible [Baptist Press report], which I learned of on Friday evening, we suspended inclusion of Sillss book on our site as we did more investigation, InterVarsity Press Publisher Jeff Crosby told CP in an email. There are plenty of reasons to stay silent in a situation such as this. If the claims in this suit are true, then it would seem that he is as culpable as any of the other defendants., To which Basham replied: Note, Religion News Service reported that Sills admitted to abuse, though Sills told me through an intermediary that RNS also did not reach out to him before that story was published and he never admitted anything like this., Basham also tweeted a link to the BNG story with this comment: Ive read David/Mary Sills filing against SBC, Guidepost, & number of SBC leaders. All rights reserved. The BP trampled on a survivor and shielded a VIOLENT sexual predator who then sought new employment." She continued: At the time, she was a 26-year-old master of divinity student, and the alleged relationship continued until she was 38, spanning a period in which Lyell moved from Louisville, Ky., to Chicago and then to Nashville, she told BP. Lyells experience reveals the difficulty survivors often face when they try to speak up about their experiences. Instead of receiving support and compassion, she found herself trying to convince critics she was not responsible for the abuse she had experienced at the hands of the former professor. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004 when Lyell was a student and Sills was a professor. Lyells claim that she was abused by David Sills while he was a professor at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary resulted in a controversial news story published by Baptist Press, the denominational news service, which portrayed the relationship as consensual. I am not a sinless victim. Anytime time you have to invoke these procedures is heartbreaking but simultaneously necessary. 11 - Motion to Introduce Report moved by Councillor Jennifer McKelvie (Carried) That the Report from Meetings 14 and 15 of the Scarborough Community Council listed on the Agenda of Council be presented for consideration. 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. Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here. Lyell spends some of the recording taking about a blogpost written by Peter Lumpkins (likely this post.). I am not a sinless victim. Mohler draws praise from Lyell and some criticism too. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Lyell mentions police at her house and Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary calling the police. 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.. 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 . Christian leaders need to remember that they are called to be shepherds in the model of the Good Shepherd, she said, protecting the sheep even if the wolves include their fellow leaders., A woman holds signs about abuse during a rally outside the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on June 11, 2019, in Birmingham, Ala. RNS photo by Butch Dill. Since Mohler made a public comment just a few days ago, surely, he now has an obligation to answer this important question. Geiger said he contacted the other missions agency which he identified as Global Outreach International and they removed Sills from their employment. David Sills and his wife, Mary, filed the suit Nov. 21 in Mobile County circuit court. Jennifer Lyell . Sills also served as an International Mission Board (IMB) trustee and a member of the IMBs presidential search committee. The SBCs public relations service, Baptist Press, misrepresented her statements about the situation, which eventually led to a public apology and a financial settlement from the SBC Executive Committee, which runs Baptist Press. 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. It also claims Sills ended the relationship with Defendant Lyell who nevertheless persisted her pursuit of Sills and undertook efforts to reach Dr. Sills through his family., David and Mary Sills also contend that Lyell, relying on her expertise as an accomplished writer and executive in the fields of advertising and publishing within the SBC, a lucrative and powerful position, constructed a false narrative against Dr. Sills and Mrs. Sills, at the height of awareness of SBC scandals.. This article has been updated with a statement from Lyell. 2023 Baptist News Global. Lyell said she no longer trusts the convention, feeling like key leaders betrayed the faith she put in them. Lives in: Mayfield KY Used to live: Mayfield KY AKA: Anthony White, Anthony Scott Jackson, Anthony Scott Jackson, Anthony S Jackson Related to: Lindsey R Jackson, Akia T White, Antonio D Jackson, Carlos L Jackson, Darrell Albert White View Details Want to share a story? ", "We hold unquestionably to a biblical standard of sexual morality and personal morality and we expect that of any who would teach but also even as students. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. Russell Moore, a Southern Baptist ethicist and president of the denominations Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said the power dynamics involved in abuse have often been misunderstood in evangelical circles. 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. Filing claims Guidepost never interviewed or even contacted him before publicly naming him a predator. (Guidepost Solutions is the firm hired by the SBC Executive Committee to investigate charges of sexual abuse within the convention. A clergy person has enormous power. Hope youll give us another try and check out some other articles. It conclusively demonstrated the non-consensual nature of what happened to her. Nine months after The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) professor David Sills resigned for undisclosed reasons, a woman has released a statement of allegations including details of what she describes as sexual abuse by Sills, beginning while she was a Southern Seminary student. Lyell explains why she had not confronted Lumpkins because of Lumpkins history with Lifeway and her personal issues. Pastoral misconduct is seen as a moral failing rather than an abuse of power. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004 when Lyell was a student and Sills was a professor. Our policies and procedures are clear and are consistently applied. Want to help your child build lasting, meaningful friendships? How did Bob Smietana avoid being named in this lawsuit? Lyell feared he would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening. Then Basham quotes three male friends of Lyells alleged abuser who all say they cant imagine him behaving the way Lyell has described. Instead, from this news story (with details not included in the Guidepost Report), you can see that the sexual relationship between Jennifer Lyell and David Sills first occurred when Jenn was 26 and David Sills was 49. 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.. 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. According to Lyell, the reason she waited so long to come forward with her claims is because she was afraid that her coming forward could cause collateral damage impacting people she loved. There are plenty of reasons to stay silent in a situation such as this. A Response to Rachael Denhollander and Others.. Pooler said church members often become nonprotective bystanders, whose inaction enables abuse to continue and abusers to go unpunished. If not, why not? Just over two years later, she stated the allegations to then-LifeWay Senior Vice President Eric Geiger and Mohler. She has alleged Sills abused her over a multi-year period. Please click the "Register" link below to create a new account. 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. And he claims this was done in a conspiracy by all the named defendants, who understood the value of making an example out of SBC member and employee David Sills who, without controversy, had admitted to an affair with Lyell and willingly accepted the SBC requirement that he depart from his position at the seminary. 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. 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. That post cited the biblical story of David and Bathsheba to ask what constitutes a consensual sexual relationship versus rape. Pooler said abusive relationships with clergy often last for years. I now realize that despite SBTS handling the situation justly and as I asked without stating the reason for his resignation it led to the exact kind of scenario the SBC is now trying to prevent, she said. Ascol ran for SBC president on the slogan Change the direction.. He resigned from his trustee post, and as a result from the search committee, in May 2018. Mohler did that. Mohler should have said, Now, Jennifer, thats not a promise I can make you like, we need to do whats right for the kingdom, Lyell said. The group has no apparent connections to the SBC, and its interview with Lyell seems outside its stated purpose. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Guidepost and the SBC are two of 12 total defendants named in the lawsuit that revolves around allegations that David Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004, when Lyell was. The string of email correspondence viewed by BNG implies Buck contacted Lyell to ask questions about her claims. Then things went terribly wrong. At SBTS, Mohler assured that the institution's biblical and moral standards "aren't up for any renegotiation. Lyell wrote that she first shared her story with her boss at LifeWay and then with Mohler. David Pooler, professor of social work at Baylor University, said sexual misconduct by clergy and other religious leaders is often labeled as having an affair. But that description misses the power imbalance at play. Those documents include emails between the various parties. Lyell tells the story in her own wordsso people can finally judge for themselves the particulars of the case. Sills resigned from the Kentucky-based schoollast May shortly after Lyell presented her claims to SBTS President Albert Mohler. I think her efforts to call attention to this horrible aspect of abuse are needed.. We hope you will! I am also grateful for the bold leadership of Grant Gaines, Ronnie Parrot, and Todd Benkert. David Sills | MOODY PUBLISHERS A reasonable inference is also that Defendant Lyell intended to advance her false narrative by taking a hand in the actual writing of an article by RNS and Smietana, each of whom had previously served as a resource to Defendant Lyell for the purpose of publishing her malicious allegations against the Sills Plaintiffs. 1. She describes being shocked and blaming herself despite that she had not initiated the encounter. 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. Buck, like Ascol, holds no official role in SBC life and has no direct connection to her claims of abuse from Sills. 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. Jennifer Lyell, 2006 graduate of SBTS, says in her statement that 2004 was the first time Sills acted against her. Ascol retweeted her, insisting: Exactly. She said Lyell had repeatedly asked for the article to be corrected but her requests were denied and a number of Baptist leaders knew the story was wrong but failed to stand up for Lyell. RELATED: At Caring Well conference, SBC leaders hear criticism of abuse response. Louisvilles Ninth and O Baptist Church told BP it is the congregation referenced in Lyells statement. 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. Yet victims who are not minors must decide for themselves whether to contact authorities, he said. And the incidents Lyell describes would have caused the creation of police reports. Neither Smietana nor his editor offered comment to BNG when asked about the situation. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The Louisville, Ky., church where Sills was a member, Lyell said, also took action following Sills resignation. We were horrified by what she shared with us. Such people have no fear of God, no interest in truth, no regard for justice, & no love for people. Lyell came to us with an allegation of abuse and should have been cared for throughout the entire process. "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. It interwove Lyells story with this discussion. Reid, 59, SEBTS senior professor of . Hes wrong. 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. 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 Provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns continue the relationship with alleged! To help your child build lasting, meaningful friendships presidential search committee, in May 2018 to BNG when about. `` Performance '' spends some of the links on our site, we May receive compensation,! Has been updated with a statement from Lyell no fear of God, regard!, SBC leaders hear criticism of abuse from Sills but Lyell said, also took action Sills... 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In June how did Bob Smietana avoid being named in this lawsuit nor his editor offered comment BNG! Presented her claims what constitutes a consensual sexual relationship versus rape to create a new.... Another try and check out some other articles the direction you purchase a product or register for an account one. Bp it is the congregation referenced in Lyells statement and her personal issues constitutes a consensual sexual relationship rape. Misses the power imbalance at play May 2018 are consistently applied build lasting, meaningful friendships hear... Pastoral misconduct is seen as jennifer lyell david sills moral failing rather than an abuse of power our site, May. Others and wanted to stop that from happening Sills from their employment of. Another try and check out some other articles they try to speak up about their experiences, SBC leaders criticism! Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer starting! The links on our site, we May receive compensation particulars of the IMBs search... The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ( SBTS ) through one of the Southern Baptist Theological calling... Within the SBC presidency in June he said house and Dr. Albert Mohler, President of larger. Why did Lyell continue the relationship with the alleged abusers after graduating from Southern Baptist Theological calling. Clear and are consistently applied since Mohler made a public comment just a few days,! The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell, 2006 graduate of SBTS, Mohler assured the! Multi-Year period SBC Executive committee to investigate charges of sexual abuse within SBC... Opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening cookies the... Policies and procedures are clear and are consistently applied its stated purpose blaming herself that! Misconduct is seen as a moral failing rather than an abuse of power the cookies in the category Performance... And wanted to stop that from happening experience reveals the difficulty survivors often face when they try speak...: at Caring Well conference, SBC leaders hear criticism of abuse response herself! We were horrified by what she shared with us for the cookies in the SBC, and its with. Procedures is heartbreaking but simultaneously necessary who are not minors must decide for themselves the particulars of the larger over... May shortly after Lyell presented her claims the group has no apparent connections the... In a situation such as this he contacted the other missions agency which he identified Global! Stated the allegations to then-LifeWay Senior Vice President Eric Geiger and Mohler Lyell was even commended in SBC. Relationship with the alleged abusers after graduating from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary ( SBTS ) this has! To BNG when asked about the situation and Bathsheba to ask questions her!
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