The Silenced Truth

Carolyn McCulley | Citygate Communications
  • 5.0 (8)
  • DOCUMENTARY

When survivors of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention refused to stay silent, they exposed decades of institutional cover-up and sparked a reckoning that once had the promise to reshape one of America's most powerful faith communities. But as people who experience sexual abuse know all too well, they are frequently victimized twice—first in the physical violation, and then a second time when they seek justice by disclosing what happened to them. The Silenced Truth goes beyond the headlines to offer a roadmap for confronting abuse in institutions everywhere.  New shows dropping monthly. Visit safetospeak.info for more information and join the Patreon community (https://www.patreon.com/cw/SafeToSpeak) for ways to help between shows!

Episodes

  1. The Survivor Who Didn't (Jennifer's Story)

    1D AGO

    The Survivor Who Didn't (Jennifer's Story)

    Jennifer Lyell is dead. But the battle over her story is not.  In this second episode of The Silenced Truth, host Carolyn McCulley traces the devastating arc of Jennifer’s life—from a vulnerable childhood in southern Illinois to rising as one of the highest-ranking female executives in the Southern Baptist Convention—and the price she paid for telling the truth about sexual abuse inside the denomination she once loved.  This episode examines how disclosing sexual abuse can actually be more harmful than the physical violation itself. Jennifer's story follows the six most explosive years of the reckoning within the Southern Baptist Convention and includes interviews with Rachael Denhollander and Dr. Albert Mohler.  Our executive producer is Rachael Berglund.  The Silenced Truth is a project of the Safe to Speak Initiative. Join our Patreon community to advocate for the legal protections that survivors need to safely disclose their experiences. To support the production of this show, you can make a tax-deductible gift to the Southern Documentary Fund. FOR FURTHER CONTEXT The Wrath of God Poured Out — The Humiliation of the Southern Baptist Convention Al Mohler says he was wrong about C.J. Mahaney Statement from R. Albert Mohler Jr. on Sovereign Grace Churches ERLC panel on sexual abuse at the SBC19 convention in Birmingham Ex-SBTS prof. accused of 'grooming' former student in decade-long abusive relationship The web archive of Jennifer Lyell’s public statements website A statement from Baptist Press By What Standard trailer Motion to Investigate the SBC Executive Committee: Full Text Southern Baptists’ #MeToo Moment https://x.com/megbasham/status/1998922448184782854 https://heidelblog.net/2020/01/the-smear-was-intentional Hunt v. Southern Baptist Convention et al summary judgment Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force Updates The Silenced Truth is a project of the Safe to Speak Initiative and is a production of Citygate Communications. It is fiscally sponsored by the Southern Documentary Fund.

    1h 23m
  2. "You Always Knew!" (Tiffany's Story)

    JAN 15

    "You Always Knew!" (Tiffany's Story)

    For decades, Tiffany Thigpen carried the weight of what happened to her as a teenage girl in a Jacksonville church. A charismatic preacher. A trusted pastor. And a pattern of abuse that powerful leaders chose to ignore.  This podcast episode is hosted by Carolyn McCulley and features an interview with journalist Robert Downen about the historical context of the Southern Baptist Convention. At the end, therapist Deborah Bumbaugh helps listeners understand Tiffany's story through the neurobiology of trauma.  Our executive producer is Rachael Berglund. The Silenced Truth is a project of the Safe to Speak Initiative. Join our Patreon community to advocate for the legal protections that survivors need to safely disclose their experiences. To support the production of this show, you can make a tax-deductible gift to the Southern Documentary Fund.FOR FURTHER CONTEXT PBS Newshour on the Abuse of Faith series, February 11, 2019 WFAA-TV report on Paige Patterson’s firing from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, May 30, 2018 Paige Patterson recording from the 2000 CBMW/FamilyLife Today conference Paige Patterson talks about a 16-year-old girl’s figure Pastor Cited in SBC Report on Abuse Worked at Churches in Oak Cliff, Garland, Richardson, Dallas Morning News, May 23, 2022 Unearthed Tapes, Letters, Show Southern Baptist Leaders’ Support for Pastor Who Face Sex Scandal, by Rob Downen, Houston Chronicle, Aug. 28, 2019 How Women Led to the Dramatic Rise and Fall of Southern Baptist Leader Paige Patterson, by Michelle Boorstein and Sarah Pulliam Bailey, The Washington Post, June 10, 2018 Former Rising Star Preacher Pleads Guilty to Molestation, by Bob Allen, Associated Baptist Press, May 21, 2009 Jacksonville Pastor Begins Prison Sentence, by Paul Pinkham, The Florida Times-Union, June 11, 2009. Law & Disorder: Former Pastor Admits to Fathering Child, The Florida Times-Union, Dec. 11, 2009 The Silenced Truth is a project of the Safe to Speak Initiative and is a production of Citygate Communications. It is fiscally sponsored by the Southern Documentary Fund.

    1h 31m
  • 2 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

When survivors of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention refused to stay silent, they exposed decades of institutional cover-up and sparked a reckoning that once had the promise to reshape one of America's most powerful faith communities. But as people who experience sexual abuse know all too well, they are frequently victimized twice—first in the physical violation, and then a second time when they seek justice by disclosing what happened to them. The Silenced Truth goes beyond the headlines to offer a roadmap for confronting abuse in institutions everywhere.  New shows dropping monthly. Visit safetospeak.info for more information and join the Patreon community (https://www.patreon.com/cw/SafeToSpeak) for ways to help between shows!

Information

  • Creator
    Carolyn McCulley | Citygate Communications
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    2
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Citygate Communications
  • Show Website
    The Silenced Truth