THE CHURCH MILITANT
Ephesians 5:11-"And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them". This Christian News Blog maintains a one stop resource of current news and reports of its own related to church, moral, spiritual, and related political issues, plus articles, and postings from other online discernment ministries, and media which share the aims to obey the biblical commands to shed light on and refute error, heresy, apostasy, cults, and spiritual abuse.
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Friday, November 22, 2013
SEXUAL ASSAULT & ABUSE AT BOB JONES UNIVERSITY KEPT UNDER WRAPS~VICTIMS TREATED AS SUSPECTS
"Some alumni are skeptical that the investigation at BJU will bring about concrete change, like a clear accounting of past errors, a new sexual assault reporting system, better training and more openness. They wonder if the whole thing is window-dressing."
"Earlier this year, BJU decided to take a serious look at sexual assault on its campus, and hired the organization Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment, or G.R.A.C.E., to do the job. G.R.A.C.E. typically works with churches and ministries, and focuses primarily on the abuse of children. It’s the first time it’s investigated a university. So far, G.R.A.C.E. has conducted 80 in-person interviews in Greenville and Charlotte, N.C., and many others over the phone."
"The sexual assault investigation at BJU won't be finished until early next year, so no one could comment on any conclusions so far. But Chris Peterman was one of the former students interviewed by G.R.A.C.E. Without Peterman, in fact, G.R.A.C.E may not be doing this work at all."
"Student-on-student sexual assault at BJU fits into a larger simmering issue of sexual abuse in the fundamentalist church, and evangelicalism more broadly. G.R.A.C.E. was founded by Boz Tchividjian, grandson of famed preacher Billy Graham, because of what he saw as serious problems in the way churches responded to abuse."
A small group of students (former and current) convened upon Bob Jones University today to hold a silent protest to get the word out about sexual abuse within Independent Fundamental Baptist Christian circles. The students, some traveling as far as Michigan, wore red as a symbol of their cause and released balloons in unison to show public awareness of abuse within this segment of Christianity. The group is called "Do Right BJU" and has a sole purpose of bringing out the tradition of secrecy within Fundamentalist Christianity.
Do Right was started earlier this year in order to get Bob Jones board member, Chuck Phelps, to step down from his position. Phelps, Then pastor of Trinity Baptist church, is said to have inadequately reported the rape of Tina Anderson, a 15 year old parishioner of his church, by Ernie Willis, a business man and member of the same church. Ernie impregnated Tina and when it was figured out Tina was "Church Disciplined". This discipline consisted of a public apology to the church, and being sent to Colorado to give birth to, and adopt out, her baby.
The story of Tina Anderson was not told until there was a posting on the Facebook group " Independent Fundamental Baptist Cult Survivors " about the situation. Several people took action after hearing of this injustice and sought to pursue justice for Tina Anderson. After a strong online pursuit, Ernie Willis was arrested and sentences to 15-30 years for forcible rape of a minor.
According to "Do Right BJU" Tina is not the only one that has been abused, there are many men and women that have been hurt by pastors and parishioners alike.
Chuck Phelps still remains on the board of several Christian camps and Christian mission boards.
