美国国家公共电台 NPR--Southern Baptists respond to the widespread silencing of sexual abuse victims

Southern Baptists respond to the widespread silencing of sexual abuse victims

Transcript¹

Thousands of Southern Baptists are in California for their annual meeting. The gathering² comes weeks after a report on sexual abuse by Southern Baptist ministers shocked evangelical congregations.

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

Southern Baptists are gathering for their annual meeting in Anaheim, Calif., and the sex abuse revelations in the church are looming³ large - in particular, the widespread silencing of victims. Blake Farmer of member station WPLN reports.

BLAKE FARMER, BYLINE⁴: The nation's largest Protestant Christian⁵ denomination⁶ has acknowledged sexual abuse by ministers for years, but not like this. Outgoing President Ed Litton opened with an apology to victims.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

ED LITTON: Many of them have suffered much, and we honor them and we honor their pain and suffering.

FARMER: Some victims are in attendance this week. Last year, Southern Baptist Church representatives demanded an outside investigation⁷ into how leaders have handled sexual abuse claims. That investigation revealed, in striking detail, that the denomination was keeping track of known abusers, even while saying it didn't have the ability to help churches keep from hiring a pastor⁸ who'd been credibly⁹ accused.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

BRAD EUBANK: I'm a sex abuse survivor¹⁰, and I'm a pastor. I'm mentioned in the report.

FARMER: Brad Eubank of Petal¹¹, Miss., was abused as a child by a minister of music.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

EUBANK: I plead with you, on behalf of survivors¹² who love our convention and love our churches, please, let's start the healing process today.

FARMER: The abuse report contained two starter recommendations. One creates an organization to oversee¹³ reforms across the denomination. The second creates a public database, much like the one the denomination was keeping in secret.

Several representatives spoke¹⁴ against the idea. Mark Coppenger, with a church in Franklin, Tenn., says he's not convinced the hundreds of accused ministers are all that big a deal in a denomination that still claims more than 13 million members.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

MARK COPPENGER: It strikes me that the burden of proof is upon those who say that we have a dreadful problem that needs to be met.

FARMER: But the vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the proposals, and other resolutions are being debated today. They ask state legislatures to increase criminal penalties for abuse by pastors¹⁵ and to shield churches from liability. They say that would make churches more likely to share what they know about abusive pastors.

For NPR News, I'm Blake Farmer.

(SOUNDBITE OF THE DEAD TEXAN SONG, "THE STRUGGLE")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 gathering   

n.集会，聚会，聚集

参考例句：

• He called on Mr. White to speak at the gathering.他请怀特先生在集会上讲话。
• He is on the wing gathering material for his novels.他正忙于为他的小说收集资料。

3 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

4 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

5 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

6 denomination   

n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位

参考例句：

• The firm is still operating under another denomination.这家公司改用了名称仍在继续营业。
• Litre is a metric denomination.升是公制单位。

7 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

8 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

9 credibly   

ad.可信地；可靠地

参考例句：

• I am credibly informed that. 由可靠方面听说。
• An effective management software ensures network to run credibly. 一个高效的网管软件是网络运行的可靠保证。

10 survivor   

n.生存者，残存者，幸存者

参考例句：

• The sole survivor of the crash was an infant.这次撞车的惟一幸存者是一个婴儿。
• There was only one survivor of the plane crash.这次飞机失事中只有一名幸存者。

11 petal   

n.花瓣

参考例句：

• Each white petal had a stripe of red.每一片白色的花瓣上都有一条红色的条纹。
• A petal fluttered to the ground.一片花瓣飘落到地上。

12 survivors   

幸存者，残存者，生还者( survivor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The survivors were adrift in a lifeboat for six days. 幸存者在救生艇上漂流了六天。
• survivors clinging to a raft 紧紧抓住救生筏的幸存者

13 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。

14 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

15 pastors   

n.（基督教的）牧师( pastor的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Do we show respect to our pastors, missionaries, Sunday school teachers? 我们有没有尊敬牧师、宣教士，以及主日学的老师？ 来自互联网
• Should pastors or elders be paid, or serve as a volunteer? 牧师或长老需要付给酬劳，还是志愿的事奉呢？ 来自互联网