Southern Baptist leaders apologize to sex abuse survivor

By DEEPA BHARATH
Associated Press

A top Southern Baptist committee has publicly apologized and agreed to a confidential financial settlement with a sexual abuse survivor. The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee chair made the announcement Tuesday during a meeting in Nashville, Tennessee. He says the committee “acknowledges its failure to adequately listen, protect and care for Jennifer Lyell when she came forward with her story of abuse by a seminary professor.” Instead of stating she had been abused, the SBC’s official news source initially reported she was involved in a “morally inappropriate relationship” with her former professor. Lyell says she is grateful for the resolution, but it does not restore the damage to her reputation.