Last updated 2/19/2025
1. Christian leaders (who are overwhelmingly cishet men) and other abusers who commit abuse are often excused. Frequently, their victims are told to forgive them and not be bitter, if the victims are even believed in the first place.
Uncritical examples
A Word about C.J. Mahaney and Sovereign Grace Ministries by Ligon Duncan | Reformation 21 (July 2011)
News link added by me for context
Archived on Wayback Machine
Rocky Times at Willow Creek by Jim Meyer | Restoring Kingdom Builders (March 2018)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
Commentary
Michelle Duggar's Hypocrisy Regarding Sexual Predators by R.L. Stollar | Homeschoolers Anonymous (August 2014)
Cheap Grace: Churches That Ignore Abuse | Ashley Easter (January 2016)
20 years, 700 victims: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reforms by Robert Downen, Lise Olsen, and John Tedesco | Houston Chronicle (February 2019)
A Call for Paige Patterson's Resignation From the Ministry | Wartburg Watch (June 2009)
Whose community is it? | Speaking When the World Sleeps (February 2020)
The Failure of Complementarian Manhood | Carolyn Custis James (April 2016)
Josh Duggar says he's sorry. So what? | Kathryn Brightbill (May 2015)
Trust in pastors is dropping, and Southern Baptists think they know why by Captain Cassidy | Roll To Disbelieve (February 2023)
20 years, 700 victims: Southern Baptist sexual abuse spreads as leaders resist reforms by Robert Downen, Lise Olsen, and John Tedesco | Houston Chronicle (February 2019)
Bill Gothard and the Dynamics of Abuse by Libby Anne (May 2016)
Available on Love, Joy, Feminism and Homeschoolers Anonymous
An unholy alliance: When mob forgiveness meets selective grace by Boz Tchividjian | Religion News Service (December 2015)
Hundreds of sex abuse allegations found in fundamental Baptist churches across U.S. by Sarah Smith | Fort Worth Star-Telegram (December 2018)
The Failure of Complementarian Manhood | Carolyn Custis James (April 2016)
“Compliance is not consent.” by Abby Perry | Fathom Mag (May 2018)
How Sovereign Grace Ministries deals with ACTUAL sexual sin | Are Women Human? (April 2011)
Andy Savage and the Problem of Evil by Captain Cassidy | Roll To Disbelieve (April 2018)
2. Even so-called progressive Christians may jump to defend accused abusers and frame victims as liars or otherwise in the wrong.
Uncritical examples
None yet
Commentary
When my abuser is welcome at the table, I am not. | Sarah Over The Moon (June 2013)
What It Means to Take Abuse Seriously | R.L. Stollar (January 2015)
3. Christian abusers and their supporters may try to discredit their victims by claiming the accusations are an attack from Satan.
Uncritical examples
Do Not Admit a Charge Against an Elder, Except… | Tim Challies (December 2017)
Archived on Wayback Machine, Archive.today, and Ghost Archive
`Commentary
Evangelical Blogger: Christian Leaders Need Extra Protection against Allegations of Sin | Love, Joy, Feminism (December 2017)
“Nobody's Buying this Rape Business”: Frank Peretti and the Pentecostal Portrayal of Rape Accusations | Speaking When the World Sleeps (September 2016)
Christianity Today Just Gave a Mouthpiece to an Alleged Abuser | Love, Joy, Feminism (May 2016)
Additional information about support of abusers in Christian circles
A Church Group, a Lawsuit, and a Culture of Abuse by T.F. Charlton | Religion Dispatches (March 2013)
5 Things church leaders must do when allegations of abuse arise | Jimmy Hinton (August 2020)
Jeff Altaras, "Evil Thrives When Good People Remain Silent": Discussion of Sexual Abuse in the Mennonite Context | Bilgrimage (November 2020)
4 Common Ways Churches Fail Abuse Victims (and What To Do Instead) | Ashley Easter (April 2016)
The sin of silence by Joshua Pease | Washington Post (May 2018)
Further information
7 Warning Signs Someone Is the Victim of Domestic Violence by Christine Pelisek | People (July 2019)
On Writing Abusers, Abuse Victims, & Abuse Situations | springhole.net (details what abusive behavior can look like and how abusers may see themselves and their victims)
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