Religion · Myrtle Beach, SC Metro · August 11, 2026
Federal lawsuit names Southern Baptist Convention in Pawleys Island church scandal
The Post and Courier reports that a federal lawsuit has been filed naming the Southern Baptist Convention in connection with an abuse scandal at a church in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. Confirmed at this point: a suit has been filed and the SBC is named as a defendant alongside the local congregation. Not yet confirmed in the reporting available: the identities of plaintiffs, the specific allegations against the denomination itself, or how the SBC intends to respond in court. The case adds to a series of legal actions testing whether the SBC's decentralized polity — under which local churches govern themselves — shields the national convention from liability for abuse at affiliated congregations. Southern Baptist churches and members should expect continued scrutiny of how the denomination's abuse reform measures, adopted in recent years, apply when litigation reaches the convention level rather than a single church. Further details, including the court where the suit was filed and its specific claims, were not included in the initial report.
Source: postandcourier.com
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From the book
Rule 8 depends on the ability of activists to bring endless motions and resolutions to disrupt governance. The answer is hardening the structure. Governance documents should prevent small minorities from hijacking the agenda. That means super-majority requirements for changing doctrinal standards and property clauses that protect a local congregation's assets from a predatory hierarchy.
— Chapter 17, “Defensive Strategy”
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