Baptist abuse victims left frustrated
'INDIANAPOLIS -- A year ago in New Orleans, the Southern Baptist Convention's Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force unveiled what they called their Ministry Check website prototype and assured members it would eventually list the names of clergy and other church workers who have preyed on children.
A year later, no names have been posted and the task force has disbanded, unable to complete the task after working on it for two years.
Victim advocates, who have been calling for creation of a database since 2007, are disappointed. Survivors are questioning whether the nation's largest Protestant denomination can ever be trusted again to keep its promises.
Brown, whose work on behalf of victims was lauded by messengers to the 2022 annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., said children remain vulnerable in Southern Baptist churches because the denomination has dragged its feet so long.
"I think Southern Baptists are about 20 years behind where the Catholics are," said Brown, who, like Thigpen, received a formal apology from the messengers two years ago.
"I'm not praising the Catholics, but at least they are, to some degree, keeping records of credibly accused (priests and religious workers). Most of the dioceses around the country are releasing names publicly," she said.
"Meanwhile we have zero names listed of any credibly accused Southern Baptist pastors."
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