It’s unbelievable that the EC can investigate other entities (although the messengers voted against it), but when the messengers want to investigate the EC, the EC votes it down & amends the motion to have oversight.
Who holds the EC accountable?
Apparently themselves.
— Jared C. Wellman (@JaredcWellman) September 21, 2021
Instead members approved a motion that stated, “Resolved that, at this point, attorney-client privilege is not yet being waived but is being flushed out through negotiation.” The motion also requested “the Task Force and EC officers to agree on a contract in 7 days without waiving complete attorney-client privilege at this time.”
One pastor responded to this news on Twitter, saying, “This is a very sad day for us SBC churches. You have ignored the overwhelming will of the messangers [sic]. Watching the proceedings it is clear that many in the EC view the SBC as a Top-Down organization instead of a bottom up convention of churches. I am grieving tonight.”
This is a very sad day for us SBC churches. You have ignored the overwhelming will of the messangers.
Watching the proceedings it is clear that many in the EC view the SBC as a Top-Down organization instead of a bottom up convention of churches.
I am grieving tonight.— Nathan J. Norman (@nathanjnorm) September 21, 2021
Some EC members opposed to waiving attorney-client privilege expressed concern that to do so would open the SBC up to lawsuits. In an extended Twitter thread, attorney and victims advocate Rachael Denhollander explained the importance of waiving attorney-client privilege in a situation like this. “You simply cannot accurately diagnose problems without waiving privilege,” she said. “You won’t have access to all the information.” She concluded,
The waiver question is nothing more than this: What is more valuable to you? Insurance proceeds for the bad acting you did? Or people? How much is a little girl (boy, person) worth? That is the only actual question you are answering with waiver of privilege. That’s it. And if anyone tells you otherwise, they are not being honest.
Several EC members, including Wellman, signed a statement condemning the SBC Executive Committee’s decision:
We grieve yesterday’s vote by the Executive Committee, who in unprecedented fashion prohibited the will of the messengers for an open and transparent investigation into the Executive Committee. It is our opinion that the failed vote only justifies the need for an open investigation. We join with the messengers who desire justice for survivors of sexual abuse, and we feel that this cannot happen so long as the Executive Committee forbids an open and transparent investigation, which must include the waiving of privilege. We will continue to work within the EC to ensure that the will of the messengers is fully honored by the Committee we serve as trustees. That is what we committed to do when we accepted this trust, and it is what we will pursue as a stewardship before God. We invite all Executive Members who share these convictions to join us in this statement.
The heroines of the last two days at our SBC EC meeting were the SA survivors who sat voiceless in the gallery.
Saw you, want you to know you matter and are loved.
May GOD continually bless, comfort and keep you in the hollow of HIS hands.
— Pastor Rolland Slade (@pastorrolland) September 22, 2021
