Home Christian News ‘Never Happened’: Former Christianity Today Editor in Chief Denies Sexual Harassment Allegations

‘Never Happened’: Former Christianity Today Editor in Chief Denies Sexual Harassment Allegations

Mark Galli
Photo by Árni Svanur Daníelsson (via Unsplash); logo courtesy of Christianity Today

Earlier this week, Christianity Today reported that it had failed to properly respond to allegations of sexual harassment against two former employees, one of whom was former editor in chief Mark Galli. 

On the same day, CT president, CEO, and current editor in chief Tim Dalrymple also published an editorial explaining that CT had hired Guidepost Solutions to conduct an independent investigation and invited CT news editor Daniel Silliman to report on the matter, as CT would do were a similar situation occurring at a different organization. Members of CT’s executive team did not review the news article prior to its publishing. 

Galli has now responded to CT’s report regarding the allegations that he sexually harassed numerous female employees at CT with an article of his own. 

Citing his 30 year tenure at CT, Galli said that he was not surprised that he “sometimes said or did things that made other men or women uncomfortable, confused, or hurt,” adding that he has always sought to “apologize and bring reconciliation to the relationship.”

RELATED: Christianity Today News Editor Reports CT’s Failure to Properly Address Sexual Harassment Allegations

Nevertheless, while Galli expressed regret about his offenses, he also said that he “never in 30 years ever approached a women with the intent of sexually harassing, intimidating, or ‘hitting’ on her. Never.” 

Some have been quick to point out that sexual harassment is not defined by the intent of the harasser but by whether the victim in the situation had cause to feel harassed. 

However, as it pertains to the specific allegations against him, which came to light by way of Silliman’s interviews with more than two dozen current and former CT employees, Galli denied that those specific incidents ever occurred. 

“Just three examples among many,” Galli wrote. “It is said that I lingered over a woman’s bra clip and that my hand got caught in her bra. Never happened. It is said that I ‘felt up’ a woman. Never happened. It is said that I said aloud that I like to watch women golfers bend over. Never said it.”

“So amidst the stories in which I can see I genuinely offended or confused some women, there were allegations that just mystify me,” Galli went on to write. When ChurchLeaders asked Galli why he believes allegations have been made against him that he claims to be false, Galli replied, “It’s not for me to speculate on the motives of others, especially those whose names I don’t know.”

While the independent Guidepost Solutions assessment did not speak to the specific instances of harassment, it did establish that Galli engaged in “inappropriate behavior toward women” on multiple occasions and toward multiple employees. According to Silliman’s reporting, Galli’s harassment spanned years.