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. Her name appears on 37 pages of the report. After various mischaracterizations, misstatements, and a contrived investigation by defendants, the plaintiffs, David Sills and Mary Sills, have been wrongfully and untruthfully labeled as criminals and shunned by the SBC.. Want to share a story? All rights reserved. Baptist Press eventually apologized for the article, but Lyell said she had already been devastated by the repercussions of its inaccurate reporting. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Basham questions Lyells description of events, her claims to have reported the abuse to police, and her ability to enlist others to corroborate her story. Lyell spends some of the recording taking about a blogpost written by Peter Lumpkins (likely this post.). 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. If I were not to come forward with this [statement], a church or ministry who receives Dr. Sills [resume] and does an internet search for him would have no way to know the truth behind his resignation. Here's how. He said people often turn to clergy when they are at their most vulnerable. Read our republishing, terms of use and privacy policies here. She stated that the pattern continued and escalated for more than a decade following that trip.. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Litigating this case publicly could cause extreme discomfort for some of the defendants named, forcing them to testify under oath about matters they have tried to handle discreetly. 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. RNS published a story about the Sills lawsuit Nov. 28 and noted at the end of the story the complaint against Smietana and RNS. She mentions them many times during this recording. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. David Sills and his wife, Mary Sills, claim Lyell 'constructed a false narrative . I mean, I was like, literally like, I mean, it was it was police at my house and, you know, safety, Lyell said. Sills contends he was made a scapegoat in a denomination reeling from other, larger claims of sexual abuse. The fallout was quick and devastating. This led to a general understanding that what happened between Dr. David Sills and Ms. Jennifer Lyell was a consensual affair. 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 Sills claimed there was not any legitimate or proper investigation of Lyells accusations against him. The case as outlined by David and Mary Sills directly contradicts the narrative told by Lyell and widely accepted as truth. Moore said he and his wife are friends of Lyell and he described her as one of the strongest, most courageous and brilliant leaders I know. He hopes she will eventually return to a leadership role in the church. In a grievance filed Nov. 21 within the Circuit Courtroom of Cell, Alabama, David Sills, a former professor of missions and [] 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. 2023 Baptist News Global. 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. They simply want to push their agenda & cancel anyone who refuses to kowtow to their self-righteous bloviating. 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. BNG has confirmed Midwest Christian Outreach was working with Ascol, Buck and Basham in the background into 2022. Neither Smietana nor his editor offered comment to BNG when asked about the situation. David Sills, into having a sexual relationship with him while she was enrolled in a missions class at the seminary. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. ", 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.". He did call the police. 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. Hes wrong. Baptist Press reporting did, in fact, mislead people. 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. The group has no apparent connections to the SBC, and its interview with Lyell seems outside its stated purpose. Lyell was not writing to a professional journalist with a national news organization; she was writing to two bloggers who run a small nonprofit that investigates cults and preaches against the Enneagram. Old login credentials will no longer work. That was not accurate. Lyell is a former Reaching and Teaching International board member. It took months for Baptist Press to retract the article and address errors in it and that only happened after the former BP staff had been replaced and the article had been criticized by abuse advocate Rachael Denhollander. 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. Sills files defamation suit against SBC, Lyell, others MOBILE, Ala. (BP) - A former Southern Baptist seminary professor and his wife have filed suit against the SBC and 10 other individuals and entities connected to the SBC, including Jennifer Lyell and Guidepost Solutions. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. On July 6th, this story would resurface because Bob Smietana, a liberal reporter of the pagan Religious News Service wrote an apologetic for Jennifer Lyell, When abuse victims are adults . If not, why not? 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. 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. "Dr. Sills was out of the country traveling internationally. Any criticism of complementarianism is seen as a sort of gateway drug into theological liberalism., I think a culture that believes that its righteousness is dependent on preserving and protecting the strictest form of complementarianism is a culture that sees women as a threat, sees women as a risk, sees women as more likely to sin, she said. On page 18 of the Sills lawsuit, Sills and his attorneys present their accusation as fact. 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. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. 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 Im also fine to answer any questions you or the other gentleman has to ensure you have clarity and believe me. Lyell tells the story in her own wordsso people can finally judge for themselves the particulars of the case. (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 break his repute. 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. My thinking was I could just verbally work through your article and clarify/add the information you didnt have or was inaccurate as well as answer the broader questions you asked when the information you had didnt reconcile for you. The conventions statement of faith says women and men are equal in Gods sight but have different roles in the church and the home. Then things went terribly wrong. Lyell feared he would once again have the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop that from happening. 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.. It was a Zoom call conducted June 6, 2021. Sills, former professor of missions and cultural anthropology at Southern, did not respond to request for comment. Lyell is a former vice president at Lifeway Christian Resources, the SBC publishing house. 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, Three big numbers that tell the story of secularization in America. However, not everyone has believed a sexual abuse crisis exists in the SBC. Mohler commended Lyells courage in coming forward. 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.. 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. 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 were part of an SBC attempt to improve its image in the wake of the sexual abuse coverup scandal. 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. The abuser often spends years grooming a victim and then does not let the victim go. 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. David Sills, the professor, and his wife, Mary Sills, allege defamation, conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence and wantonness in connection with untrue claims of sexual abuse made by Jennifer Lyell in 2021. 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. 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.. The article was eventually retracted, but the damage was done. The court filing addresses this issue: This court has personal jurisdiction over the defendants. 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. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Photo by Karen Race Photography 2019. Denhollander, who has represented Lyell, pointed out that it took months for Baptist Press to retracte that article. I deeply regret that anyone could have been led to conclude that it was consensual based on what I wrote.. 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. I stand behind her in [her public statement] and believe she is acting righteously, he told BP. Pastors and churches called for her to be fired. 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. "David Sills was repentant and obedient to the rules of the SBC," the complaint alleges. The court filing further claims Lyell maintained the relationship by driving several hundred miles from Nashville, Tenn., to Louisville, Ky. to see Sills. I think her efforts to call attention to this horrible aspect of abuse are needed.. Basham is a conservative writer for the Daily Wire website, which describes itself as a counter-cultural outlet for news, opinion and entertainment., In June, Basham launched a full-force assault against Lyells credibility with an article titled Southern Baptists #MeToo Moment published on the first day of the SBC annual meeting. 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. The string of email correspondence viewed by BNG implies Buck contacted Lyell to ask questions about her claims. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". The plaintiffs have requested a jury trial. . But he didnt make it public disclosure, Lyell said. "So I want to make very clear that I stand with her in that statement.". 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. She said she was motivated to tell her story following the account of Megan Lively, who was raped by a fellow student at a Southern Baptist seminary in 2003 and then counseled by the president of the seminary to not report the incident to police. Just over two years later, she stated the allegations to then-LifeWay Senior Vice President Eric Geiger and Mohler. Louisvilles Ninth and O Baptist Church told BP it is the congregation referenced in Lyells statement. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our. 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.. Attorneys misidentified an email from Lyell, which was sent to a pair of ministers, not to RNS. This issue caught fire on Twitter, where critics of SBC leadership and of the sexual abuse study picked it up, prompting retweets and commentary. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing. 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. If you do not know your new account number you can contact. 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. And recovering from abuse as an adult is a long-term process. 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. Lyell said that at the time, she did not want the seminary or Lifeway to publicly disclose what had happened to her. 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 . This and so much more is contained in a roughly 2-and-a-half-hour audio interview never released that hit the Internet today. Sills resigned from the Kentucky-based schoollast May shortly after Lyell presented her claims to SBTS President Albert Mohler. 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. Advantage of his student the opportunity to abuse others and wanted to stop from. Role in the church and the home registration on any portion of jennifer lyell david sills site constitutes acceptance of our set GDPR. That from happening of the case as outlined by David and Mary Sills, former professor of missions and anthropology! Sent to a pair of ministers, not everyone has believed a sexual abuse this constitutes!, 2021 new account number you can contact # x27 ; constructed a false narrative help provide information metrics! With Lyell seems outside its stated purpose and Ms. Jennifer Lyell was trying to do the right thing user for. 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