Beth Allison Barr, a professor at Baylor University and the author of the bestselling book, "The Making of Biblical Womanhood," said that the male Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) pastors with sexual abuse cases should not be allowed to return to their ministerial duties.

Barr said guilty pastors such as Johnny Hunt being restored to ministry makes her wonder.

"What happened with Hunt, then? Does this resolution not apply to him?" Baptist News quoted Barr saying.

'Words Are Not Enough'

Barr issued the statement following news about Hunt's restoration to ministerial works.

Hunt, the former SBC North American Mission Board executive vice president, was among the identified pastors who figured in a probe on sexual abuse allegations committed by SBC members. Ironically, four male SBC pastors recently announced that Hunt's role as a minister had been restored. 

Benny Tate, Mark Hoover, Steven Kyle, and Mike Whitson issued the all-clear for the disgraced pastor's comeback. The announcement came despite Hunt confessing to the crime half a year earlier. 

"We believe the greatest days of ministry for Johnny Hunt are the days ahead," one of the pastors reportedly said.

The panel's decision directly contrasts the SBC's adoption in 2021 of a resolution perpetually prohibiting pastors guilty of sexual abuse from holding office. Barr told Baptist News that 2021 SBC Resolutions Committee vice chairperson Nathan Finn said they "believe that sexual abuse is a disqualifying factor for anyone who would serve in church leadership."

Such irony prompted Barr to say that "actions speak louder than words."

"Hunt is accused of using his position of power to manipulate and attack a woman 24 years younger than him. He also lied, telling Guidepost investigators in May that he had 'no contact whatsoever' with the woman. Yet two and a half weeks later, he was backtracking, admitting in a letter to his congregation the 'awful sin' of infidelity, but still justifying it as entirely 'consensual,'" Barr lamented.

She added that Hunt only left office when he was forced to do so following the publication of the Guidepost findings on the sexual abuse allegations against male SBC preachers.

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SBC President's Response to Barr's Statements

Bart Barber, the current SBC president, quickly blasted the panel's move to hand Hunt another rein at SBC. Barber said he would perpetually ban Hunt from pastoring duties instead of giving him a second chance as his four fellow pastors did. 

The SBC president explained that pastors like the panel members that exonerated Hunt "are more interested in protecting their friends than protecting women in their congregations."

Unfortunately, such defiance of SBC resolutions is possible since they are non-binding due to the autonomy of Baptist congregations and denominational groups. Moreover, a denominational authority to greenlight pastors to perform ministerial duties does not exist. Consequently, local churches under the SBC have the sole right to make such decisions. 

While she acknowledged Barber's opposition to his fellow pastor's restoration of Hunt, Barr argued such words do not mean a lot if top-ranking SBC figures do not honor SBC resolutions or even their president.

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