Prominent liberal blogger for SBC Voices has risen high in the Southern Baptist Convention under Bart Barber. Being able to maintain a reputation for being tough on abuse, Bart Barber appointed Todd Benkert to the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force shortly after being elected president of the convention. On a Friday news dumb, Todd Benkert unceremoniously had to give up his post.
Earlier this month, Todd Benkert referred to SBC churches to the Credentials Committee with the ultimate intention of disfellowshipping them for hosting Johnny Hunt. Johnny Hunt was accused of sexual assault in the Guidepost Solutions report, but the SBC insist that he committed sexual abuse. Hunt denies these allegations.
Earlier this week one of the churches Todd Benkert wanted to disfellowship wrote a well crafted response to the Credentials Committee defending Johnny Hunt as someone who had never been charged criminally or otherwise seriously accused of sex abuse and rebuked the Credentials Committee’s ability to investigate said conclusion on the basis of Baptist polity.
On Friday Todd Benkert would be booted from ARITF. The joint statement is as follows.
Earlier this week Todd Benkert informed ARITF Chairman Marshall Blalock that he would no longer be serving as a member of the ARITF.
A statement from Todd Benkert:
Chairman Blalock,
As a committed advocate for survivors and abuse reform, I was honored by the opportunity to serve as a member of the ARITF. When I agreed to accept this responsibility, I did so in order to speak to the task force rather than speaking for the task force. I remain grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the ARITF’s work. However, in order to maintain my ability to speak and act according to my conscience on these issues without representing the task force, it is clear I can best support survivors and advance reform in my role as an advocate rather than a task force member. I will continue to support the work of the ARITF and consult with them as needed, while advocating for broader reform measures across our convention of churches.
A statement from Marshall Blalock:
On behalf of the ARITF, I’d like to thank Todd Benkert for his contributions to our work and his advocacy on behalf of survivors. Todd has a clear concern for survivors and a passion to see needed changes implemented concerning abuse. We are grateful for Todd’s work and ongoing advocacy in support of abuse reform in the Southern Baptist Convention.
Todd Benkert set off a bigger firestorm than he anticipated leaking his reporting on churches to the secular press, and has long been posturing as being an advocate for abuse survivors, despite his heavy involvement in KarenGate.
After the Credentials Committee got caught with their pants down, Todd Benkert’s “activism” appears to now be a greater liability than the Platform can afford.
One Response
Thank you so much Ray for your tenacity in reporting current, relevant events within our churches. This is 21st century church history, play by play. Thanks again!