In compliance with the expressed will of the messengers at the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting, I move the SBC Executive Committee waive attorney client privilege. This waiver of privilege shall only be limited by the scope of the investigation as approved by the messengers.
— Jared C. Wellman (@JaredcWellman) September 28, 2021
One of the most shocking moments from the ensuing debate about Wellman’s motion occurred when one of the members defending it quoted attorney and survivor advocate Rachael Denhollander, asking, “How much is a little girl worth?” This phrase is the title of a children’s book by Denhollander and also alludes to her book, “What Is a Girl Worth?: My Story of Breaking the Silence and Exposing the Truth about Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics.”
At least one EC member scoffed in response to this question and exclaimed, “emotional blackmail.”
“What is a little girl worth?” doesn’t matter to them. I never did. My 3 girls never will…Unless the messengers of the #SBC are willing to flip tables. *Family photo for our church directory…circa – 1980’s. https://t.co/0TB2uPBx5Z pic.twitter.com/AXcDh7OPW4
— Jules Woodson (@juleswoodson11) September 29, 2021
The question ‘How much is a little girl worth to the SBC?’ is a very different question than ‘How much is a little girl worth to Jesus?’ And therein is the problem.
— Dale Harris (@dale621) September 28, 2021
“The SBC is sinking its own ship right in front of us,” said writer and theologian Marc Alan Schelske. Pastor Dwight McKissic voiced a similar thought: “We may be watching the dismantling of the SBC.”
Never thought I’d see the day when the EC would hire lawyers & spend a substantial sum of money, in order to work in direct opposition to a overwhelming majority vote of the SBC. Absolutely astonishing & breathtaking to fathom&watch. We may be watching the dismantling of the SBC.
— Dwight McKissic (@pastordmack) September 28, 2021
Another EC member argued that waiving attorney-client privilege would not benefit survivors because if the SBC’s insurance were voided, survivors could not be financially compensated. Denhollander responded to this argument at length in a Twitter thread in which she stated that survivors would rather have justice than money. This is a point that another EC member made later in the meeting.
Dear EC member who answered the asked question “how much is a little girl worth?” By saying “worth having insurance proceeds to pay her”, please hear my heart –
If you are going to speak those words, first ask those little girls and boys what they care about the most:
— Rachael Denhollander (@R_Denhollander) September 29, 2021
Wellman’s motion was eventually defeated by a vote of 39 to 35. While the result was not surprising to many, the margin was notably much narrower than it had been when members rejected Wellman’s previous motion last week.
SBC Executive Committee: ‘We Are All in This Together’
The SBC EC posted a statement Tuesday night about the day’s events:
We ask all Southern Baptists to join us in praying that seven days from now we will finally have a Task Force and Executive Committee Board of Trustees united not only in its commitment to address concerns related to sexual abuse (through the independent review) but also confident in a process that complies with the will of the messengers and is attentive to all other fiduciary and legal considerations. We pray Southern Baptists will see this grueling and deliberative process as necessary, and in accordance with the Convention’s bylaws, as the Board of Trustees, Task Force, and Executive Committee leadership all work diligently, prayerfully and as expeditiously as possible to do the right thing in the right way. We are all in this together.
