The podcast with Chapell, dated Tuesday, May 20, on TGC’s webpage, has been taken down since it was published. On Wednesday, May 22, the X account @Fozzybear_Lives posted a zoomed-in version of a screenshot of Chapell holding his note, revealing that some of the names were legible. The list appears to show names including Carl Trueman, Aimee Byrd, Tim Bayly, Michelle Higgins, and Andy Webb.
“Marked safe from being on the Stated Clerk’s list of scandalizers,” said the post. “On a serious note, this is terrible. PCAGA was going to be busy enough with the pile of overtures. Now this?”
The PCA’s General Assembly, the denomination’s annual business meeting, is scheduled to take place in Chattanooga, Tennessee, June 23-27.
A different X account that goes under the name “Paul Biegler,” reposted the original X post, as well as a clip of the interview with the note blurred out. “It’s difficult to make out, but Chapell’s list appears to include names such as Peter Leithart, Carl Trueman, Tim Bayly,” said the post. “But where does it get truly incredible? After the below tweet from @Fozzybear_Lives went viral, @TGC edited the video to blur out the list of names. See the current blurred version in the video below.”
“This is not a good look for Bryan Chapell or the PCA—is it right and proper that our Stated Clerk should have an ‘enemies list’ displayed on his desk at all times?” that post concluded. “Utterly bizarre behavior.”
TGC’s webpage where the podcast had been posted now displays statements from Chapell and Hansen about the controversy. Chapell’s statement says:
With deep regret for harm done to others, I am issuing a public apology for not taking proper care to protect the reputation of others. In an unplanned moment on a recent video podcast posted by The Gospel Coalition, I held up a small piece of paper that I believed was not readable but included names of individuals. TGC personnel who prepared the video also thought that nothing was legible on the paper. However, there are now those who have taken a screen shot of the video and enlarged it to identify some names. I sincerely apologize.
The second statement, from Hansen, says, “This podcast has been removed. I couldn’t read the names over video and did not check during editing to review the list. I apologize for neglecting that review.”
Andy Webb, pastor of Providence ARP in Fayetteville, North Carolina, responded to the controversy on X, saying, “Wow, so according to the Stated Clerk of the PCA, Bryan Chapell, I am one of his list of ‘scandalizers’ who have either ‘left the faith, their family or taken their life.’”
