How an Alleged Predator Remade the Southern Baptist Convention: Paul Pressler helped ordain the marriage between white evangelicals and the Republican Party, all while accusations of sexual abuse piled up. Right-wing groups are still using his political playbook.

Submission statement: This article talks about Paul Pressler’s push to transform the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant group in America, into a force of right-wing political power, with direct ties to Reagan and GHWB. He did this all while using his power and influence to cover up massive amounts of rape, including his own rape of multiple boys. It also goes into how the SBC, under Pressler’s campaigns to rid it of “liberals”, became a major part of the right-wing push to discredit accusers of sexual assault, and has used culture war arguments such as arguing over women pastors and “DEI” to distract people from their complete and utter failure to hold rapists accountable. It has gotten so bad that people who once fought for reform within the church have now given up, and victims are dying due to complications from decades-old abuse, unable to have their voices heard.