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	More Pressure on Southern Baptist Church By Natalie Dick WCNC [South Carolina] February 23, 2007 http://www.wcnc.com/news/topstories/stories/wcnc-022207-al-baptist_leaders.288a7b5.html Baptist leaders are speaking out against claims of sexual abuse inside the church. One of the same groups that has been critical of cover-up scandals in the Catholic Church is now aiming its target at other denominations. There are some serious allegations by a sexual abuse survivors group out of Chicago. They claim pastors at Baptist churches in more than five states have molested children and now they're demanding action be taken. None of the reported cases occurred in the Charlotte area, but the group's push to create an independent review board to investigate such cases has congregations talking. In a letter sent to the national Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee, the organization charges clergy sex abuse "is a systemic problem that inheres in the free-wheeling structure of the denomination, which lacks effective systems for accountability which 'indirectly shields perpetrators.'" "I think that churches have to guard against this," said Pastor Russ Dean, Park Road Baptist Church. "I think pastors have to guard against it very carefully…that tendency to abuse power is one that we see in all ranks." Dean said his church has recently adopted a policy on preventing child sex abuse, but it has no specific policy regarding clergy. Unlike the Catholic Church, Baptist leaders argue there's no clear chain of command to wield such authority. Each Baptist church is autonomous, its membership in state and national associations completely voluntary. "Of course we would hope that the every church would be concerned about that," said Dr. Bob Lowman, Metrolina Baptist Association. "They would be working to make sure that their children are taken care of and that their youth are taken care of." But exactly how best to ensure that seems to remain a topic of debate. Still, molestation survivors say they won't give up their letter writing campaign. The advocacy group also wants the Southern Baptist organization to adopt zero tolerance policy. One way local churches have worked to achieve that is through conducting background checks before an employee is hired. E-mail: ndick@WCNC.com
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