Posted on 05/31/2019 4:05:06 AM PDT by Morgana
An orthodox evangelical church has closed down following a series of historical cases of sexual abuse.
Six men from the Jesus Fellowship Church - formerly known as the Jesus Army - have so far been sentenced for the indecent and sexual assault of 11 victims between the 1970s and 1990s.
Northamptonshire Police said about 200 complaints of various types of abuse were made. Its investigations continue.
The JFC said it was "appalled" by the abuse and apologised to those affected.
A lawyer representing two alleged victims said he was concerned the closures may mean his clients do not receive compensation. Advertisement
The JFC's leadership team said members of the church voted to revoke its constitution at a meeting on Sunday.
The vote came years after the first allegations of bullying and financial, physical and sexual abuse were made, the group said.
At its peak in the early 2000s, Jesus Army had about 2,500 members - hundreds of whom lived together in community houses.
Membership dropped to less than 1,000 people after the abuse claims were made in 2013, following the JFC's invitation to worshippers to share their experiences of the church.
The JFC passed on the reports to police in Northamptonshire - where the church was based - and an investigation known as Operation Lifeboat was launched. 'Cult'
Solicitor David Greenwood is representing two women from the area who say they were abused - one sexually and the other emotionally - by members of the church when they were teenagers.
He said the church's "totalitarian regime" meant child members were not allowed possessions, had to attend schools directed by the organisation, and were even only "parented" by people the church's "elders" deemed appropriate.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Theodore Dalrymple wrote an article about it. Like other cults (and criminal gangs), the Jesus Army provided a highly structured ... i.e., totally controlling ... environment for people buffeted by the chaos of modern life.
In order for Cults to operate, they must abandon Christianity. They transition from worshiping God to worshiping the cult.
Never heard of them. Maybe a cult.
I agree.
It is a cult.
The article says it was orthodox, evangelical.
IOW, a Protestant sect.
Probably still a cult.
**Six men from the Jesus Fellowship Church - formerly known as the Jesus Army - have so far been sentenced for the indecent and sexual assault of 11 victims between the 1970s and 1990s.**
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