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U.S. NEWS Thursday 13 June 2019

Southern Baptist leader bemoans abuse crisis, vows action

Continued from Front as U.S. Catholic bishops group to draft recommen-
convene in Baltimore to dations on how to confront
“We have to get this right,” address a widening sex- the problem.
she said in the video, urging abuse crisis in the Catholic Pressure on the SBC inten-
the church to stand with Church, the largest de- sified in recent months,
victims and to hold abusers nomination in the U.S. It however, due in part to
accountable. had 76.3 million members articles by the Houston
On Tuesday, the opening as of last year — down from Chronicle and San Antonio
day of the meeting, dele- 81.2 million in 2005. Express-News asserting that
gates approved the SBC’s The Southern Baptist Con- hundreds of Southern Bap-
first-ever measures aimed vention says it had 14.8 mil- tist clergy and staff have
directly at combatting sex lion members in 2018, down been accused of sexual
abuse committed by cler- about 192,000 from the misconduct over the past
gy and staff. previous year. 20 years, including dozens
One provision establishes a Sex abuse already was who returned to church
permanent committee to Jules Woodson, right, of Colorado Springs, Colo., hands out flyers a high-profile issue at the duties, while leaving more
review allegations of abuse while demonstrating outside the Southern Baptist Convention’s SBC’s 2018 national meet- than 700 victims with little
at member churches and annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2019, in Birmingham, Ala. ing in Dallas, after which in the way of justice or
recommend action if war- Associated Press Greear formed an advisory apologies.q
ranted. Two other propos- measures.
als, if ratified again next Christie Crawford, a moth-
year, would specify that er of five whose husband
churches could be ex- Matt Crawford is a pastor
pelled from the denomina- at a two-campus church
tion for mishandling cases in Tallahassee, Florida, said
of sexual abuse or racial the denomination’s actions
discrimination. this week would let congre-
The committee assigned gations know that protect-
to review abuse cases will ing children from abuse
have four women among is both important and re-
its nine members. But del- quired, as is reporting pos-
egates voted down a mo- sible misconduct.
tion to replace one male “I think that what we’ve
member with Susan Codo- done and said will empow-
ne, an engineering profes- er people,” she said. “It will
sor and sexual abuse sur- cause people to be more
vivor whose personal story vocal at the local church
was featured in recently level if they see things that
released ABC report. make them uncomfort-
Xavier Torrado, secretary able.”
of the Southern Baptist Crawford’s church, City
branch in Puerto Rico, said Church Tallahassee, al-
additional training and ready has requirements
new resources that were including background
approved to combat sex- checks and a six-month
ual misconduct were vital. waiting period for anyone
“We’ve known for many wanting to volunteer with
years that the pastors minors, she said. “The world
didn’t have the skills or the that we live in ... is a place
resources or the knowl- where all parents have to
edge of how to address be vigilant because of the
this,” said Torrado, whose dangers that are lurking,”
job will now include teach- Crawford said.
ing ministers about the new The SBC’s meeting comes