A Memphis megachurch pastor whose congregation literally gave him a standing ovation earlier this year after he admitted to engaging in a “sexual incident” with a high school student has resigned.
42-year-old Andy Savage, who believes in conversion therapy and preaches that homosexuality as a sin, stepped down from his post at Highpoint Church this week after a two-month investigation by church officials into the time he committed sexual assault against a minor.
We’re not sure why it took the church two months to decide their rapist pastor needed to go, but that’s beside the point, right?
Related: Antigay pastor admits to raping teen girl, receives standing ovation from his congregation
How about we take this to the next level?
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Just to recap: In January, Jules Woodson came forward in a blog post about an alleged incident that happened between her and Savage back in 1998.
Woodson was in high school at the time. Savage was working at a Baptist church in Houston. One evening after church, he offered her a ride home.
“As he was driving me towards my home, he passed the turn he should have made to go to my house,” she wrote in a blog post. “I asked him where he was going. I don’t remember his exact response [but it was] something along the lines of ‘you’ll see,’ or ‘it’s a surprise.’”
Savage turned down a dirt road. At a dead end, he parked the truck and turned off the headlights.
Woodson continued:
Andy unzipped his jeans and pulled out his penis. He asked me to suck it. I was scared and embarrassed, but I did it. I remember feeling that this must mean that Andy loved me. He then asked me to unbutton my shirt. I did. He started touching me over my bra and then lifted my bra up and began touching my breasts.
After the assault, Savage told her not to tell anyone about it. Woodson says she became consumed with “fear, shame, anger and hurt.” When she approached church leaders, they told her that it would be handled internally.
Nothing was ever done.
Related: Shocker: Another antigay pastor’s twisted sex life finds the light of day
After Woodson’s blog post went viral, Savage addressed the allegations with his congregation, saying he was sorry for what happened and that he remained “committed to cooperate with you toward forgiveness and healing.”
He was met with a standing ovation and the full support of church officials, who declared the whole incident a “consensual sexual sin” between the rapist and his victim.
Well, what a difference two months makes!
In a statement posted Tuesday to the church’s website, Highpoint leaders issued an apology to Woodson, a 180-degree reversal from when the church first stood by Mr. Savage back in January.
Highpoint leadership has come to recognize that it was defensive rather than empathetic in its initial reaction to Ms. Jules Woodson’s communication concerning the abuse she experienced, and humbly commits to develop a deeper understanding of an appropriate, more compassionate response to victims of abuse.
Savage also issued a statement of apology, saying he “carelessly turned the topic to my own story of moral change” and ignored “what she went through and continues to go through.”
“I have come to see that many wrongs occurred in 1998,” he wrote before saying he would be stepping down as pastor.
Local authorities say they had opened an investigation into the alleged 1998 assault but determined that the statute of limitations had passed.
Related: Pastor who delivered inauguration sermon believes ‘filthy’ homosexuals ruined America
ChrisK
“consensual sexual sin” Ha. So is that what they’re calling it now. These religious shitheads are more twisted then pretzels.
Smith David
These wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are the absolute worst. Our society is not at all blameless. I left the church because of the rampant hypocrisy which continues to go unchecked.
Trust me, this savage would’ve died with his guilt and shame if he wasn’t called out. I am glad this poor girl has some justice. Certainly, I am not without sin and in no way do I have the right to judge anyone. However, I am not on a pulpit preaching righteousness.
Tobi
“Consensual Sexual Sin”?
It’s at times like these I wish Mae West were still alive.
chris33133
When I’m good, I’m very good; but when I’m bad, I’m even better.
Tobi
“Between two evils, I always pick the one I never tried before.”
Darryl
Another example of how low the evangelist community stoops to protect their own. And how is the law not involved?! In Canada, that would be considered a rape as he took advantage of her in a sexual manner when in a position of authority over her. This creep should be charged and jailed. Once a paedophile, ALWAYS a paedophile! You can be sure he has a string of victims in his past, and more to come if he’s not stopped. His words mean nothing.
dwes09
If she was post pubescent he was not a pedophile. He was definitely a creep and probably guilty of statutory rape, but not a pedophile.
Queerzy
Actually, in Canada if she was 16 or over, there wouldnt be anything to charge him with
Kangol
Speaking of anti-gay right-wingers, any reason why there’s no mention of that Austin terrorist, who murdered two people, injured 4 or so more, and then blew himself up? It’s now on the record that he posted a blog expressing strong anti-gay marriage and anti-homosexual views. Why the silence about him?
dean089
This guy was applauded by his congregation for the same reason that devoted Roy Moore supporters didn’t see any big deal to his actions. There’s really nothing in the Bible that condemns grown men having sex with underage girls, even their own daughters. So the Bible-thumpers have no issues with these guys, at least not for this particular activity. Christian apologists might choke on this little tidbit, but they need to grow up and stop fooling themselves.
dwes09
Actually, there is no concept of “underage” in Tanach (what Christians call the old testament), which is creepy enough, but once through puberty, boys and girls were marriageable (as they were everywhere and still are in some places). But there were punishments and fines. It is odd because there are female prophets and heroes in Tanach (though I do not think they are part of the Christian use of Jewish scripture), but overwhelmingly infants, children and women are considered little more than property of adult males.
There is a strong interdiction against incest where one is closer than a distant cousin, so you are completely wrong there. The fact that is written in a story (such as after the supposed flood) does not mean that it was condoned.
Ken A.
He’s hot and that is one reason why he would get off. Nice smile. He would be in his 20s in 1998 and probably the crush of every congregation member. But the statute of limitations was up and he felt freely to confess, if it weren’t I wonder how this would end up?
mojojojo
So I don’t condone the situation that happened but I want to point out he didn’t rape her. He never admitted to raping her. Nor did she claim rape. I’m from Memphis and know this guy and your version of this story is very overfabricated here. Hey the facts straight Queerty
DCguy
He coerced a 17 year old, then threatened her to stay quiet and then got the church to threaten her to stay quiet.
DCguy
So the Evangellicals supported him, and then are now doing what Evangellicals do, running and cowering now that the general public has heard about their actions.
There isn’t any religion left in these groups, it’s just a hate group that cherry picks out of the Bible to support their hate.
GayEGO
“A Memphis megachurch pastor whose congregation literally gave him a standing ovation earlier this year after he admitted to engaging in a “sexual incident” with a high school student has resigned. ”
Really? Doncha just luv those religious righteous bigots!
Xtian99
#lifechoices… this intellectually stunted half wit who believes that burning bushes talked to people …and so on …made a terrible and character-revealing choice in his 20’s ….so now let’s all revere him and take his advice on how to live a good life?
typical hypocrite huddling behind the mantle of “religion” – Jesus was love, not stupidity, hypocrisy, duplicty, or condemnation. As someone who was very quick to “cast the first stone” – enjoy the tumble!