Was Jonathan Lamont Jenkins Named in Southern Baptist List of Abusers?
Jonathan Lamont Jenkins, the youth pastor at Starlight Baptist Church in Santa Ana, California, was arrested for aggravated sexual assault on a 12-year-old girl in his church. Jenkins, according to reports, had been making advances toward the girl at the church for several months. While waiting for her to enter, he hid in a women’s restroom at the church. Jenkins then choked and sexually assaulted the young lady.
SBC Investigation Report
According to the Washington Post, a 300-page report was launched on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The file consists of horrifying new specifics regarding specific abuse instances and sheds light on how denominational officials actively disapproved abuse prevention and change for years.
Southern Baptist Convention leaders have revealed a substantial and independent 3rd party examination that found that abusers were frequently neglected, forgotten, and even criticized by upper-level church leaders from within this religious denomination of greater than 16 million individuals. In addition, it exposed these leaders often deceived their own members to stop them from being aware of the rampant sexual abuses.
Continue reading about the bombshell SBC Investigation Report
A Past of Dismissed Misconduct
The report stated that a crucial Southern Baptist leader was credibly implicated of sexual abuse just one month after finishing his two-year term as the convention’s president. The report also names three previous presidents of the convention, a previous vice president, and the previous head of the SBC’s administrative arm as renowned SBC leaders who aided in covering for and even encouraged presumed abusers.
One victim recounted being treated with hostility as she claimed she was sexually abused by a youth pastor. The accused pastor served in multiple Southern Baptist churches in numerous states. At a conference with the SBC leaders in 2007, a member of the Exec Council “turned his back to her during her speech and another chortled.”
Responsibility in the Southern Baptist Church
Russell Moore, the previous head of the SBC’s policy branch, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, mentioned ‘this is not all Southern Baptists, take a look at all the good we do.’ The sensational report demonstrates a pattern of stonewalling, coverup, retaliation, and intimidation.” He desires this document will bring much-needed change and hold those accountable for their actions.
The report asserts that a principal Southern Baptist leader was credibly implicated of sexual abuse only 1 month after completing his two-year spell as the convention’s president. The report also names 3 prior presidents of the convention, a former vice president, and the previous head of the SBC’s administrative arm as notable SBC leaders who assisted in protecting and even encouraged believed sexual abusers.
For more information about resources available to sexual abuse survivors in California, visit this link: https://abuseguardian.com/sexual-assault-lawyer/california/sex-trauma-therapist-ca/
Abuse Guardian for California
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