Was Joshua Ross Hyles Listed in Southern Baptist List of Abusers?
Joshua Ross Hyles, a Texas church leader, was convicted of indecency with child sexual contact with a 16-year-old girl in 2003. He received a seven-year probation sentence and is a registered sex offender. The Baptist General Convention of Texas also published a list of church leaders convicted of sex crimes in 2007.
Southern Baptist List Of Names
According to the Washington Post, a 300-page report was launched on Sunday, May 22, 2022. The file includes horrifying brand-new information concerning particular abuse circumstances and clarify how denominational officials actively fought abuse avoidance and reform for many years.
Southern Baptist Convention leaders have announced a comprehensive and independent 3rd party examination that revealed that abusers were often overlooked, forgotten, or perhaps blamed by high-level church authorities from within this religious denomination of more than 16 million members. Additionally, it showed these leaders often deceived their own members to prevent them from understanding the prevalent sexual abuses.
Click to read more on the Southern Baptist List of Names
A Story of Overlooked Mishandling
For almost two decades, victims who were sexually abused sought to reach out to the administration of the Southern Baptist Convention regarding the pastors and church workers. Nearly all of these disclosed events fell outside of the SOL, making it not clear the number of abusers were really indicted. According to the report, an internal list was kept. Nonetheless, victims’ cries for justice went unheeded as leaders from churches and organizations attempted to protect themselves rather than those who have actually been victimized by sexual abuse.
One victim recounted being treated with animosity as she alleged she was sexually abused by a youth pastor. The accused pastor served in multiple Southern Baptist churches in several states. During a meeting with the SBC leaders in 2007, a member of the Exec Council “turned his back to her during her speech and another chortled.”
Accountability in the Baptist Church
Russell Moore, the former head of the SBC’s policy arm, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, specified ‘this is not all Southern Baptists, look at all the good we do.’ The bombshell report demonstrates a trend of stonewalling, retaliation, coverup, and intimidation.” He anticipates this document will deliver much-needed change and hold those accountable for their misconduct.
The report asserts that a leading Southern Baptist leader was credibly accused of sexual abuse just 1 month after completing his two-year term as the convention’s president. The report also names three prior presidents of the convention, a previous vice president, and the previous head of the SBC’s administrative branch as notable SBC leaders who helped in covering up and even encouraged believed abusers.
He anticipates this report will bring along much-needed change and hold those accountable for their misconduct.
For more information about resources available to sexual abuse survivors in Texas, visit this link: https://abuseguardian.com/sexual-assault-lawyer/texas/sex-trauma-therapist-tx/
Abuse Guardian for Texas
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