NEWS PROVIDED BY
Anglican Watch
March 25, 2025

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 25, 2025 /Standard Newswire/ — Anglican Watch, a prominent church watchdog organization, is calling on Phil Ryken to resign as president of Wheaton College over his failure to address ongoing sexual abuse while serving as senior minister of historic Tenth Presbyterian (PCA) in Philadelphia from 1995 to 2010.

At issue are repeated cases of sexual assaults involving females under the age of 18, as well as adult male college students subjected to ferocious, sadistic beatings by a former male staff member of the church.

“We believe that Ryken knew of the allegations of abuse during his tenure at Tenth Presbyterian,” states Anglican Watch official Eric Bonetti.

“In that case, Ryken had a moral and legal duty to act, including to report the allegations of abuse to law enforcement and child protective services,” Bonetti continues.

“The alternative, which is that Ryken didn’t know, is even more unpalatable. If that is the case, Ryken had an obligation, both to understand what was happening in his church and to protect and care for members of the church.

“Thus, no matter how we parse it, Ryken lacks the judgment and integrity needed to serve as president of Wheaton College. Additionally, Ryken is repeatedly referenced, albeit not by name, in the GRACE report about corruption and abuse at Tenth.

“Furthermore, Ryken preached at Tenth following Liam Goligher’s removal from office.

“Doing so makes it clear that Ryken is attempting to manage impressions in the church, even as Tenth does everything in its power to avoid accountability for the egregious and criminal conduct at the church in recent years. Thus, Ryken is complicit in the ongoing meltdown of governance at the church and is trying to run interference for corrupt leadership at Tenth.

“Unless Ryken addresses the corruption at Tenth, which at this point must include the resignation of all current church elders, it is time for him to resign from ministry.

“We also want to be crystal clear: Our call for Ryken’s resignation has nothing to do with his politics. It is entirely about our concerns over what we believe are Ryken’s lack of integrity and accountability.

“There is no role for sexual abuse, corruption, and lack of accountability at Tenth or any other church, in any denomination,” Bonetti concludes. “Americans are tired of churches that demand sacrificial giving, while in return, these churches cannot even operate with integrity. Both Tenth Presbyterian and the Presbyterian Church in America must clean up their acts immediately.”

Anglican Watch is the unofficial watchdog of the Episcopal Church. Founded in 2015, it addresses abuse in diverse communities of faith. The organization is online at www.anglicanwatch.com.

SOURCE Anglican Watch

CONTACT:  Eric Bonetti, 240-630-3767, eric@anglicanwatch.com