I LOVE THIS!!! I love YOU, Emily. You're on my list of heroines. Thank you for standing and exposing what so many women experience every day and it's just so wrong. You won't know until you get to Heaven how much good you did.
Excellent! This is analysis is so spot on and helps me understand why my own church family turned its back. Calling it out is so costly, but faithfulness always is.
Thank you for standing and your words. I don’t know anything about the situation but what I read. What you write sounds authentic. The statements from NPC do not. I know you’ve encouraged many by standing for the truth. Thank you!
Brilliant, Emily. “As always,” as Dana said! You have shown yourself to be one who “does the truth [and] comes to the light, so that her works may be shown to be accomplished by God” (John 3:21). Mr. Gentle & Lowly is like Peter who attacks a man, lies about who he is, and goes to the charcoal fire light of toxic religion (John 18:10, 17-18). “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This is even and especially true of that darkness which pretends to be light.
I’m so proud of you Victorious Snowflake! It’s been a difficult five years but you prevailed. I’ve loved reading your posts and finally created my own account so that I don’t have to mooch off yours. I also get to comment!
You mentioned cognitive bias along with a book that you called a ‘tome’ - would you recommend reading it, or is there something else more accessible? Especially for someone without previous knowledge.
Look up a readers summary for the book. We read that in my doctoral program because our profs wanted us to have the idea and not get lost in the tome. There is one that is about 30 pages.
I don’t know you. I’m new to Substack. Commenting to say you are a blessing and needed. You don’t know how many of your sentences gripped and encouraged me. My SIL bought me Fragile and Lonely last year and I just started reading it. Thank you for helping me prune my reading list and recycle. Keep going, Victorious Snowflake. You’re on fire.
Thank you! There are so many better books out there that 1) don't prop up corrupt systems/leaders and 2) flow from the heart of people who truly love others as Christ loved others.
There is so much going on in the small, small world of the PCA/ACNA power-brokers of Wheaton/Naperville/Glen Ellyn that this essay speaks to. There are so many leaders we trusted to be courageous and virtuous who just keep making stupid decisions (in the immoral Bonhoeffer sense of stupid you noted) and taking the cowardly paths of least resistance as they orchestrate their coverups and spin campaigns. Thank you for putting labels on what we keep seeing over and over. They act like those of us observing their antics don't have eyes, ears, or brains, and voices like yours give me hope that the truer more righteous narratives will win out eventually.
So well said! Definitely see "leaders" taking paths that offer no resistance. Then have the nerve to avoid accountability for the consequences of their non-actions.
I am so glad you set the example of going through the secular systems to seek justice. For those churches that have church courts, so many of them are terribly biased against survivors and will nearly always find the pastor not guilty. Not to mention that the experience will destroy your faith in how you will be treated. I think survivors will often have a better chance at justice in a civil or criminal proceeding, whatever is appropriate. I am so glad you modeled that. It is not a sin to use secular systems to seek justice people! You may not be able to remove the perpetrator from ministry, but you will get public accountability and transparency, instead of secrecy. You will likely get press coverage which may make it harder for them to serve in ministry in the future. And you may get a meaningful sentence -- fines, jail, criminal record, etc.
And so another book I have to find on my shelf and toss! Thank you for doing what you did. I don't know you, but I am such a fan of you standing up to him. Also, your graphics for this are on point. I read an article about your case last week and rejoiced with your victory in the courts. Well done.
I LOVE THIS!!! I love YOU, Emily. You're on my list of heroines. Thank you for standing and exposing what so many women experience every day and it's just so wrong. You won't know until you get to Heaven how much good you did.
Thank you for being brave!
Excellent! This is analysis is so spot on and helps me understand why my own church family turned its back. Calling it out is so costly, but faithfulness always is.
This is so encouraging as I continue in my battle against my own Mr. Gentle and Lowly. Thank you for writing, as always.
Thank you for standing and your words. I don’t know anything about the situation but what I read. What you write sounds authentic. The statements from NPC do not. I know you’ve encouraged many by standing for the truth. Thank you!
As always, brilliantly and thoughtfully written, my friend. So incredibly proud of you.
Brilliant, Emily. “As always,” as Dana said! You have shown yourself to be one who “does the truth [and] comes to the light, so that her works may be shown to be accomplished by God” (John 3:21). Mr. Gentle & Lowly is like Peter who attacks a man, lies about who he is, and goes to the charcoal fire light of toxic religion (John 18:10, 17-18). “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” This is even and especially true of that darkness which pretends to be light.
I’m so proud of you Victorious Snowflake! It’s been a difficult five years but you prevailed. I’ve loved reading your posts and finally created my own account so that I don’t have to mooch off yours. I also get to comment!
I love this. Good job, Emily's husband.
Well done.
You ever take Scripture in the original languages and mix them into the blender of your heart with tears?
No. Okay. Whatever.
But seriously, well done.
You mentioned cognitive bias along with a book that you called a ‘tome’ - would you recommend reading it, or is there something else more accessible? Especially for someone without previous knowledge.
Look up a readers summary for the book. We read that in my doctoral program because our profs wanted us to have the idea and not get lost in the tome. There is one that is about 30 pages.
I don’t know you. I’m new to Substack. Commenting to say you are a blessing and needed. You don’t know how many of your sentences gripped and encouraged me. My SIL bought me Fragile and Lonely last year and I just started reading it. Thank you for helping me prune my reading list and recycle. Keep going, Victorious Snowflake. You’re on fire.
Thank you! There are so many better books out there that 1) don't prop up corrupt systems/leaders and 2) flow from the heart of people who truly love others as Christ loved others.
Anything by Scot McKnight!
There is so much going on in the small, small world of the PCA/ACNA power-brokers of Wheaton/Naperville/Glen Ellyn that this essay speaks to. There are so many leaders we trusted to be courageous and virtuous who just keep making stupid decisions (in the immoral Bonhoeffer sense of stupid you noted) and taking the cowardly paths of least resistance as they orchestrate their coverups and spin campaigns. Thank you for putting labels on what we keep seeing over and over. They act like those of us observing their antics don't have eyes, ears, or brains, and voices like yours give me hope that the truer more righteous narratives will win out eventually.
So well said! Definitely see "leaders" taking paths that offer no resistance. Then have the nerve to avoid accountability for the consequences of their non-actions.
I am so glad you set the example of going through the secular systems to seek justice. For those churches that have church courts, so many of them are terribly biased against survivors and will nearly always find the pastor not guilty. Not to mention that the experience will destroy your faith in how you will be treated. I think survivors will often have a better chance at justice in a civil or criminal proceeding, whatever is appropriate. I am so glad you modeled that. It is not a sin to use secular systems to seek justice people! You may not be able to remove the perpetrator from ministry, but you will get public accountability and transparency, instead of secrecy. You will likely get press coverage which may make it harder for them to serve in ministry in the future. And you may get a meaningful sentence -- fines, jail, criminal record, etc.
I totally agree with you. I tried my very best to have this handled through the "court" system of the PCA.
What a giant fail that was. Shockingly incompetent men. Enormous conflicts of interest. Sloppy handling of matters from beginning to end.
I walked away from it thinking "this organization cannot last long because this level of partiality and risk-taking is unsustainable."
Victorious, we are!!
That last image - I died. I don't know who your graphic designer is, but I tip my cap to them.
And so another book I have to find on my shelf and toss! Thank you for doing what you did. I don't know you, but I am such a fan of you standing up to him. Also, your graphics for this are on point. I read an article about your case last week and rejoiced with your victory in the courts. Well done.
Thank you for the exceedingly kind words. It has been a long journey. Healing is sllllooooooowwww.
But humor helps!