June 13, 2019

Page 1

Thursday

June 13, 2019

Rage Silver

T: 582-7800 | F: 582-7044 www.arubatoday.com

Page 13

Aruba’s ONLY English newspaper

Southern Baptist leader bemoans abuse crisis, vows action By J. REEVES and D. CRARY Associated Press BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (AP) — Sharing a stage with tearful survivors of sex abuse, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention apologized Wednesday for the abuse crisis besetting his denomination and outlined an array of steps to address it. “We are broken-hearted and angry,” said the Rev. J.D. Greear as the largest U.S. protestant denomination neared the end of its two-day national meeting. “Give us the courage to make the changes that genuine repentance requires.” In an impassioned speech, preceded by prayers of lamentation, Greear blamed the crisis on years of cover-ups. He praised a new anti-abuse curriculum is being offered to all SBC churches and seminaries, and he said the SBC must

do better in screening potential pastors. The Rev. Russell Moore, head of the SBC’s public policy arm, said the abuse crisis is a result of satanic forces at work in the church. “The vital question is what we will do next,” Moore said during an address. Moments earlier, dozens of abuse victims and supporters stood during a prayer for survivors of sexual misconduct. Some wept openly. Abuse survivor Stephanie Davis stood onstage and received a standing ovation after a video presentation in which she recounted her experience. Davis said she was abused as a teen by a music minister who went on to seminary and kept working in churches until last year. “No one ever told me it wasn’t my fault,” she said. Continued on Page 3

Jim Hill of Denver, Colo., from left, joins Shawn Summers and Ella Summers, both of St. Louis, Mo., in handing out information outside the Southern Baptist Convention’s annual meeting Tuesday, June 11, 2019, during a rally in Birmingham, Ala. Associated Press


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