SBC Faces $13 Million in Costs Due to Sexual Abuse Investigations
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has faced significant financial consequences following sexual abuse investigations, with costs reaching nearly $13 million. This staggering amount reflects the denomination’s ongoing efforts to address and rectify past mishandlings of abuse cases.
According to SBC Executive Committee President Jeff Iorg, the denomination has spent approximately $13 million on abuse investigations and related legal expenses since 2021. Speaking at a meeting in February, Iorg revealed that the committee is seeking a $3 million loan to manage current fiscal year legal costs, as reported by Baptist Press.
In a bid to cover the rising legal fees, the SBC Executive Committee has proposed a 2025-26 budget that includes a $3 million allocation specifically for legal expenses. However, this budget will need to receive approval at the SBC Annual Meeting in June.
Breaking down the expenses, the Guidepost Solutions investigation accounted for $3.1 million, resulting in a widely publicized report in 2022. This investigation detailed alleged mistreatment and mishandling of abuse claims by some SBC leaders. Other costs included $3.45 million for Guidepost’s indemnification, $2.4 million for litigation, $861,000 for setting up an abuse hotline, and $545,000 for general legal counsel, with an additional $131,000 for post-investigation legal support.
The U.S. Department of Justice conducted its own investigation into the SBC, which concluded with no charges filed. Approximately $2 million was spent in relation to this federal inquiry, which recently came to a close. “Earlier today, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York informed us that the investigation into the Southern Baptist Convention and Executive Committee has officially concluded,” SBC attorneys Gene Besen and Scarlett Nokes stated, adding that they were pleased no charges were brought against the committee or other SBC entities.
Despite the DOJ’s closure of the abuse investigation without charges, former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Professor Matthew Queen was charged with lying to investigators. He later pleaded guilty and received a sentence of six months of home confinement, with limited permissions to leave for medical reasons or approved exceptions.
To manage the financial burden of these investigations, the SBC is planning to sell its Nashville headquarters. The seven-story building, appraised at about $31.7 million in 2021, was originally constructed in the 1980s at a cost of around $8 million. The sale is part of a larger strategy to offset the extensive legal expenses.
This article was originally written by www.christianpost.com
