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.. BNG has obtained documentation showing this section of the legal filing . Guidepost perpetuated a false narrative in a Report, in exchange for payment and in concert with Defendants, all of which ruined Sills reputation and labeled him as an abuser, according to the complaint. Georges departure, Midwestern said in its statement to the Biblical Recorder, has not affected the employment of anyone else at Midwestern or Spurgeon College. The move was in light of controversy over past statements about divorce and domestic violence resurrected in the #MeToo climate protesting abuse of women by powerful men. Piano and Organ Faculty. David Sills is associate dean of Christian Missions and the A. P. and Faye Stone Professor of Christian Missions and Cultural Anthropology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mohler also released a statement defending its handling of allegations against Sills. The truth will come out in this litigation, he said. See Photos. The lawsuit filed by Michael David Sills and Mary Sills in Mobile County, Alabama. from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.; and an undergraduate degree from Samford. Want to share a story? Dr. Sills is an adjunct professor with both Western's Civil and Environmental Engineering . Help keep The Christian Post free for everyone by making a one-time donation today. It does not store any personal data. Instead, her life fell apart, FILE - A cross and Bible sculpture stand outside the Southern Baptist Convention headquarters in Nashville, Tenn., May 24, 2022. Director of Opera Professor of Music Performance (Voice) and School of Music Associate Director for Academic Affairs MU 111B. Success! Screen grab. The Louisville, Ky., church where Sills was a member, Lyell said, also "took action" following Sills' resignation. Read this: Southern Baptist seminary chief regrets embrace of religious leader accused of hiding sex abuse, When I heard this story, something inside of me broke, Lyell said in her statement. In the spring of 2018, after more than two years of therapy, she disclosed to her boss at Lifeway that a former professor named David Sills had first "sexually acted" against her without . Brawner, Jim. This is why the most egregious, cruel lies do not leave me without hope when those asserting them are reckless enough to do so in a form that not only allows my witness but provides a clear means by which it will be formally provided.. RELATED: Jennifer Lyell wanted to stop her abuser by telling her story. Mohler also released a statement defending its handling of allegations against Sills. But I am a victim nonetheless.". (AP Photo/Holly Meyer, File). Sills was a professor at . About M. David Sills. The case has long been used by critics to show the SBCs tendency to mishandle such allegations. New details of former SBTS prof's resignation alleged Baptist Press reported Sills' resignation in June 2018 based on reporting by North Carolina's Biblical Recorder news journal, which cited a statement from the seminary affirming that Mohler "received the resignation of Dr. David Sills from the Southern Seminary faculty on May 23, 2018." He told Sills IV they could come to . When he was hired by a different mission group, Lyell informed Baptist Press, an SBC publication, that he had been abusive and offered to write a first-person account of the abuse. Yesterday details were made public about a Southern Seminary professor and the circumstances surrounding his resignation. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. "The SBC Executive Committee apologizes for all the hurt it has caused, is grateful for Ms. Lyell's perseverance and engagement. Mississippi lawyer Don Barrett, one of the attorneys representing David Sills and his wife, Mary Sills, said that part of the complaint was in error. 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. Gary Hollingsworth, executive director-treasurer of the 570,000-member body, said he accepted Aderholts resignation based on the importance of staying focused on the conventions vision statement of seeing every life saturated and transformed by the hope of the gospel.. The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has followed best practices in this matter and has nothing to hide, he said. In a complaint filed Nov. 21 in the Circuit Court of Mobile, Alabama, David Sills, a former professor of missions and cultural anthropology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, admits he lost his job in 2018 due to what he called morally inappropriate consensual intimate conduct with a student. While the Southern Baptist Convention would go on to pay in a defamation suit brought by Jennifer Lyell over one million dollars, nothing of her retconned claims have been remotely close to proven.The SBC has a lot riding on Jennifer Lyell's victim status. M. DAVID SILLS (B.A., Belhaven College; M.Div., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; D.Miss., Ph.D., Reformed Theological Seminary) is professor of Christian Missions and Cultural Anthropology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Because this a personnel matter, we cannot comment further.. I believe it was by design.. President [Al] Mohler received the resignation of Dr. David Sills from the Southern Seminary faculty on May 23, 2018, an SBTS statement said June 1 in an email response to the Biblical Recorder. We will make this truth clear in any forum necessary and we will do so vigorously., RELATED: How the apocalyptic Southern Baptist report almost didnt happen. The subsequent criticism from abuse advocates eventually led to calls for an independent investigation into how SBC leaders had treated abuse survivors. Questions? (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 damage his repute. #LeaveYourMark But she said after she heard Sills had been hired at a missionary agency outside the Southern Baptist Convention, she realized she had to go public. But in an attempt to improve the SBC's damaged reputation amid a denomination-wide sex abuse scandal, SBC leaders turned on Sills, viewing him as an "easy target; a bona fide scapegoat," the lawsuit claims. Lyell said the reason she didnt report Sills alleged abuse sooner and he was able to continue grooming and taking advantage of her for so longwas because he made her feel part of his family. David Sills and his wife, Mary, filed the suit Nov. 21 in Mobile County circuit court. Kentucky Southern Baptist leaders among hundreds accused of sex abuse, Southern Baptist seminary chief regrets embrace of religious leader accused of hiding sex abuse, Prosecutor who had sex with murder detectiveaccused of misleading FBI, Male judges are 'close to extinction.' A former seminary professor and missionary who admitted sexual misconduct has sued a group of Southern Baptist Convention leaders and entities, claiming they conspired with an abuse survivor to ruin his reputation. Southern Seminary President R. Albert Mohler Jr. told BP he could not disclose why Sills' employment at the seminary ended. Leaders at the SBC Executive Committee tried to head off the investigation and, when they could not do that, tried to derail it. An IMB representative said in a statement to the Recorder that, in compliance with bylaws, Sillss position would not be filled on the IMB presidential search committee to replace David Platt. In August, the SBC announced the Justice Department is investigating multiple arms of the denomination over mishandling allegations of sexual abuse. There are plenty of reasons to stay silent in a situation such as this, she said. All rights reserved. Join thousands of others to get the FREEDOM POST newsletter for free, sent twice a week from The Christian Post. In a complaint filed Nov. 21 in the Circuit Court of Mobile, Alabama, David Sills, a . Professor of Mathematics (Associate Chair, Armstrong), Ph.D. (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) Algebraic geometry, mathematics of voting. The Sills claim they have been "wrongfully and untruthfully labelled as criminals and shunned by the SBC. Hes wrong. When prominent author and professor David Sills resigned last May from the seminary, President R. Albert Mohler Jr. issued a vague statement saying it was committed to the "highest standards of policy and procedure" but couldnt elaborate because Sills' departure was apersonnel matter. In a grievance filed Nov. 21 within the Circuit Courtroom of Cell, Alabama, David Sills, a former professor of missions and [] We hope you will! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. However, attorneys misidentified an email from Lyell, which was sent to a pair of ministers, not to RNS. Why so much outrage over the burning of an LGBT Pride flag? Geiger, senior pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, Calif., confirmed to BP that Lyell shared her allegations with him. By the time I shared about my abuse, I had been in counseling for more than two years, which had given . Neuro Engineering Rehabilitation and Degeneration Laboratory, Wright State University. . Log in or sign up for Facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Provost and Vice-President (academic) / Professor: University of Western Ontario: $345,000: 2020: David W. Litchfield: Vice-Dean / Professor: University of Western Ontario: 2020: Martin Belanger: Director, Investments: M. David Sills (BA, Belhaven College; MDiv, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary; DMiss, PhD, Reformed Theological Seminary) is professor of Christian Missions and Cultural Anthropology, Billy Graham School of Missions and Evangelism at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. An investigation found more than 380 allegations of sexual misconduct by Southern Baptist church leaders over two decades. Sills, professor of missions and cultural anthropology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, had been a member of the International Mission Board presidential search committee seeking a successor to David Platt, who is transitioning to a pastor-teacher role at McLean Bible Church in Northern Virginia. But we must not be silent.". (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. Bishop Scott Jones moves from extreme center of UMC to new Global Methodist Church, Jesus Revolution leaves out the tough stuff but gets the music right, From Super Bowl ads to Kentucky revivals, stop the Christian cannibalism, Holy Queer author seeks Black church inclusion beyond singing with choir, Its time to stop erasing Black Muslim Americans from the story of Islam in the US, Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors. Just over two years later, she stated the allegations to then-LifeWay Senior Vice President Eric Geiger and Mohler. Evangelical association names itself as co-defendant to defend religious exemptions. Find & rate your professors or school! Sign up for our newsletter: As sad as we are to lose Dr. George, we are optimistic about the future of the Spurgeon Center and look forward to introducing hundreds of new students to Spurgeon this [f]all., Sills, in addition to resigning his faculty position at Southern, has resigned as president of Reaching & Teaching International Ministries, an organization with 13 staff members seeking, according to its website, to help meet the great need for deep discipleship, pastoral preparation, leadership training, and theological education around the world.. At the time, Lyell maintained that she faced opposition when seeking justice through the SBC. 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. Sills, professor of missions and cultural anthropology at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, had been a member of the International Mission Board presidential search committee seeking a successor to David Platt, who is transitioning to a pastor-teacher role at McLean Bible Church in Northern Virginia. 765-285-5494. Braselton, Lorraine. Barrett declined to discuss the specifics of the lawsuit. Why women rule Louisville courtrooms, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The outlet later apologized for the article, and the SBC executive committee reached a settlement with Lyell. David Leonard Sills David Leonard Sills embraced eternity long ago, but passed into it fully on January 1, 2022 in Westminster, Maryland. She also said Sills Louisville church took action after he resigned from the seminary May 23. Attorneys for Sills claim that Guidepost never contacted their client, who is mentioned repeatedly in the Guidepost report. At its annual meeting last June in Dallas, the Southern Baptist Convention passed a resolution affirming the dignity and worth of women in their distinctive God-assigned roles and condemning all abusive behavior as unquestionably sinful and under the just condemnation of our Holy God., The resolution also called upon all Southern Baptists to encourage, cultivate, and celebrate the diverse gifts, callings, and contributions of women in biblically appropriate ways., Read this: Male judges are 'close to extinction.' But Mohler confirmed that Lyell shared allegations with him in May 2018 and that Southern, as Lyell stated, "immediately took action. New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones locates wide receiver David Sills for pivotal 24-yard third-down conversion. This past summer, Mohler issued a statement, saying that the abuse allegations had been investigated and confirmed. David Sills, Former Seminary Prof Accused of Abuse, Sues SBC and Guidepost. The lawsuit centers on allegations that Sills sexually abused Jennifer Lyell starting in 2004 when Lyell was a student and Sills was a professor. Three Southern Baptist seminary faculty members have recently resigned their positions. Subscribers receive full access to the archives. Those attempts failed. George resigned on May 3 while Sills resigned on May 23, the Biblical Recorder reported. He is a 2000 master-of-divinity graduate of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary with a doctor of ministry from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary in Memphis, Tennessee. 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." . The truth will come out in this litigation, he said. Other members include David Sills, professor at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, president of Reaching & Teaching International Ministries and a member of Ninth & O Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky; Lisa Lovell, physical therapist and a member of First Baptist Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas; Ken McLemore, missions pastor of . ", Lyell said in her statement, "The denominational institutions, the local church, and the missions agency [Sills led] ultimately believed me, supported me, and took the action for which they were responsible. Sills signed with the Giants' practice squad Tuesday, Jordan Raanan of ESPN.com reports. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Nine months after Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Sills resigned for undisclosed reasons, a woman has released a statement of allegations including details of what she says was a morally inappropriate relationship with Sills for more than a decade, beginning while she was a Southern Seminary student. How did Saddleback get kicked out of the SBC? In an email, Lyell said has told the truth and will continue to do so. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (BP) -- Nine months after Southern Baptist Theological Seminary professor David Sills resigned for undisclosed reasons, a woman has released a statement of allegations including details of what she says was a morally inappropriate relationship with Sills for more than a decade, beginning while she was a Southern Seminary student. Associate Professor of Music MI 123. He has also written a number of books on mission and is . 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 . It further stated, "Southern Seminary is . The resignations of Christian George at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and David Sills at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary were reported by the Biblical Recorder, newsjournal of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina, on June 4. David Sills was repentant and obedient to the rules of the SBC, the complaint alleges. In May, trustees of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary transitioned President Paige Patterson to the honorary title president emeritus with pay and lodging on the seminary campus. Who will pay for the SBCs abuse reforms over the long term? Southern Seminary is committed to the highest standards of both principle and policy. Sills claims the situation was consensual and alleges that SBC leaders, including Southerns president, Albert Mohler, turned his confession against him, labeling him as an abuser. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. In service of this goal, survivors and others who reported abuse were ignored, disbelieved, or met with the constant refrain that the SBC could take no action due to its polity regarding church autonomy even if it meant that convicted molesters continued in ministry with no notice or warning to their current church or congregation, investigators wrote. "I am not a sinless victim. George, curator of Midwestern Seminarys Spurgeon Library and its digitized Spurgeon Archive, had edited two volumes of previously unpublished sermons by Charles Spurgeon in a planned 12-volume series, The Lost Sermons of C.H. If you're interested in submitting a Letter to the Editor, click here. Why women rule Louisville courtrooms. The campus of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, the flagship seminary for the Southern Baptist Convention, is located in Louisville, Kentucky. "The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary has followed best practices in this matter and has nothing to hide," he said. There are plenty of reasons to stay silent in a situation such as this. Yet victims who are not minors must decide for themselves whether to contact authorities, he said. That public relations effort, according to the suit, included an investigation by Guidepost Solutions into SBC leaders handling of alleged abuse cases, which was made public earlier this year. "Southern Seminary is committed to the highest standards of both principle and policy," a spokesperson said. ", Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. He saw his playing time grow in the final two games of the preseason, reeling in six catches for 57 yards. Lifeway was made aware of the lawsuit last week. She wrote, "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 . An adjunct professor with both Western & # x27 ; s Civil and Environmental.! 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