Alabama Baptists were among Southern Baptists across the nation holding a collective breath to learn what would happen coming out of the Sept. 28 SBC Executive Committee meeting.
But after a more than five-hour meeting — two of those hours in executive session and the last hour showcasing a build up of short tempers — EC members voted down the proposal to waive attorney-client privilege 39 to 35.
However, they did decide to give the officers seven more days in which to conclude their negotiations with the Sexual Abuse Task Force and Guidepost Solutions, if possible following a specific model presented Sept. 27 to the officers.
The motion for more time to negotiate passed 77% to 23%.
An amendment proposed by SBC President Ed Litton to shorten the time to 48 hours was defeated, and Task Force chair Bruce Frank said he was open to more negotiations but not seven days.
He indicated he was only open to talk through end of day Oct. 1 and reminded the Executive Committee that he doesn’t need permission to move forward.
The Task Force’s assignment is from the messengers, he noted.
At press time, the next vote was set for Oct. 5.
Monte Shinkle, secretary of the Executive Committee, mentioned the recent negotiations came “very, very close [the day before].”
“If we go with the Michigan model (an investigation model developed for the University of Michigan that doesn’t require waiving attorney-client privilege), we are going to come down to … who hires this overseeing attorney.”
The Task Force is not OK with the Executive Committee hiring the investigating attorneys because it would give them oversight, but the EC attorneys are advising the EC to be the one to sign the contract.
“This still can be a very good report with the Michigan model as long as the EC is not the one contracting those folks,” Frank explained, while reiterating the preference is for waiving privilege.
The Sept. 28 meeting was intended for the officers to bring a final agreement between Guidepost Solutions, the Sexual Abuse Task Force, Executive Committee officers and the attorneys.
It was a follow up to the group’s regularly scheduled meeting Sept. 20–21 in Nashville, where the group struggled to make a definite call with some members adamantly for waiving privilege, some adamantly against it and several needing more information, so they agreed on seven additional days of deliberation.
But when the EC members landed at a second impasse and voted for another extension, the disapproval sparked quickly across social media and in open letters sent on behalf of pastors, state conventions and others.
All six seminary presidents also weighed in on the concern, all calling the EC “to get this right” and follow the will of the messengers.
In Alabama, 55 ministers had signed a letter circulating the state at press time.
In the letter dated Sept. 30, the Alabama ministers said in part: “We want to be unashamedly clear. We repudiate any form of sexual abuse and any attempt to cover up such abhorrent sin. We rejoice that the Executive Committee shares the same sentiment. Following the directive of the messengers is the best way to affirm support for survivors of abuse and to walk in a manner ‘worthy of your calling.’ The loss of our witness on such a large scale would violate the spirit of fiduciary trust that you, serving as our Executive Committee, have been given.
“We sincerely urge you to waive Attorney-Client Privilege, as instructed by the messengers in June, when you meet again on Tuesday. For the sake of those whose lives are deeply affected by sexual abuse, for the sake of our ability to earnestly engage our neighbors, and above all for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ, please hear our hearts on this matter.”
More signatures were anticipated as the letter continued to circulate.
To Alabama Baptists
Rick Lance, executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions, released a letter Oct. 1 to Alabama Baptists in response to the discussions taking place.
His letter reads:
“To say these are chaotic times would be an understatement. We have the highest level of frustration I have ever witnessed in the life of the SBC.
“We at the State Board of Missions have fielded calls, answered emails and responded to text messages. We want to assure Alabama Baptists that we have always abided by the wishes of state convention messengers.
“I trust and believe that by the end of the next SBC Executive Committee meeting on Tuesday, October 5, the wishes of the SBC messengers will have been honored.
“Please continue to pray for the SBC EC and the Sexual Abuse Task Force. We should earnestly and fervently pray for those who are the survivors of sexual abuse because they are the focus of our concern.
“In the meantime, I would plead for all who share opinions on social media to do so with kindness, love and conviction. In my opinion, Alabama Baptists have already been exceptional in doing so. I am proud of our state convention family for many reasons, and this is just one.”
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