GRACE Investigation into The New Evangelicals Leadership Finds ‘Behavioral Misconduct’
The New Evangelicals (TNE) is “an inclusive, Jesus-centered community that holds space for those marginalized by the evangelical church through building community, exploring faith and advocating for systemic change” led by Creator + Facilitator Tim Whitaker.
Put another way, they’re a bunch of deconstructed pagans pushing progressive propaganda at every chance they get, smugly tut-tutting evangelicals for their perceived grievances.
This time, however, the finger was pointed inward after Whitaker was accused of creating an unsafe work environment at TNE by employee Adele Mulford.
Mumford accused Whitaker of behavioral and professional misconduct, prompting the organization to hire independent third-party firm Grace (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment to investigate the claims.
Months later, the 94-page investigation has been released, and it corroborates many of the claims made against Whitaker. Mumford writes:
Tim frequently talks about the importance of transparency, accountability, and non-dehumanization within the organization and his work. Yet, he has failed to embody these characteristics throughout this experience, and chose to withhold the existence of this investigation and its findings from you—the TNE community.
(Tim) continues to dodge accountability for his abusive behavior and has dehumanized us by repeatedly misrepresenting the facts to investigators about the character of his victim in this case, and the series of events for which his abusive behavior was the sole catalyst.
These findings, summarized by The Reckoning, a website created by Mumford and a fellow staffer, include:
- A frightening, dangerous incident of rage-fueled driving by Tim
- Ongoing patterns of abusive and controlling behavior, as well as double standards by Tim
- Lack of genuine remorse from Tim
- Victim-blaming, and trauma-shaming by Tim, the TNE board, and the mediator
- TNE board’s unwillingness and inability to hold Tim accountable in a timely, unbiased, and transparent manner
- Tim’s efforts to manipulate the outcomes of this investigation, including attempting to discredit our motive, recollection, and credibility as witnesses
They also write:
We’d like to note that we repeatedly attempted to encourage transparent accountability, giving Tim and the TNE board several opportunities over the span of many weeks to address our concerns privately, prior to our request for an independent investigation. However, our concerns were minimized and dismissed, making it clear that our well-being—and that of others—was not a priority for the leadership at TNE.
…Additionally, we feel it is crucial to highlight the significant breach of trust in TNE’s financial practices. The organization’s promise of financial transparency has been disregarded, as it continues to fundraise without disclosing the ongoing investigation or the associated costs related to it. This lack of transparency undermines the trust of TNE’s donors and community members, further compounding the harm caused.
A good summary of the events can also be found at Good Faith Media here:
For their part, TNE released a Facebook post saying:
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This sounds like another version of Bruxy Cavey and The Meeting House.