An open letter signed by 86 survivors and advocates is calling out Southern Baptist Convention president Willy Rice and Texas megachurch pastor Jack Graham, demanding public apologies after both men publicly downplayed the denomination’s clergy-sex-abuse crisis. The signers say that kind of language chills survivors from coming forward and undermines years of hard-fought reform spurred by investigations and lawsuits.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the letter argues that when leaders dismiss survivors’ claims as political, they are weaponizing the debate, and it urges Rice and Graham to withdraw those comments. “Saying it is a ‘hoax’ sends the message to people in the pews and the general public to not believe survivors,” the letter states.
What Rice And Graham Said
As reported by ChurchLeaders, Rice, a Florida pastor who was elected SBC president last month, has described the Guidepost investigation as a “snipe hunt” and claimed abuse advocacy has been “politicized and weaponized.” In social media posts and interviews, Prestonwood Baptist Church pastor Jack Graham has referred to the broader abuse narrative as a “reckless hoax.”
Investigations And Legal Fallout
The current uproar sits on top of a long trail of scrutiny. In 2022, a Guidepost Solutions review concluded that SBC leaders had “stonewalled, ignored and disregarded survivors” for nearly two decades. That same year, the Department of Justice opened a probe into the denomination and, according to The Dallas Morning News, closed it in 2025 with a single conviction involving a former seminary administrator who pleaded guilty to making false statements to federal agents.
Who Signed And What They Want
The 86 signers include survivors, advocates and pastors, among them well-known figures Tiffany Thigpen, Jules Woodson and Rachael Denhollander, according to Religion News Service. They are demanding a public apology from Rice and Graham, along with a renewed commitment to reforms. The letter argues that rhetoric casting survivors as “woke” or politically motivated effectively silences people who are seeking justice.
Where This Leaves The Denomination
Advocates say the controversy is a test of whether the SBC will actually follow through on promised reforms such as the proposed national “Ministry Check” database, which has stalled amid funding questions and legal battles. Reporting by the Houston Chronicle notes that some survivors see Rice’s election and recent comments as a sign that momentum for real institutional change is slowing.
For now, the letter’s authors say the bare minimum is an explicit acknowledgment of harm and a straightforward apology. Neither Rice nor Graham had issued apologies as of yesterday, according to ChurchLeaders.
