The Silenced Truth cover art

The Silenced Truth

The Silenced Truth

Written by: Carolyn McCulley | Citygate Communications
Listen for free

About this listen

When survivors of sexual abuse within the Southern Baptist Convention refused to stay silent, they exposed decades of institutional cover-up and sparked a reckoning that once had the promise to reshape one of America's most powerful faith communities. But as people who experience sexual abuse know all too well, they are frequently victimized twice—first in the physical violation, and then a second time when they seek justice by disclosing what happened to them. The Silenced Truth goes beyond the headlines to offer a roadmap for confronting abuse in institutions everywhere.


New shows dropping monthly. Visit safetospeak.info for more information and join the Patreon community (https://www.patreon.com/cw/SafeToSpeak) for ways to help between shows!


© 2026 Citygate Communications Social Sciences Spirituality True Crime
Episodes
  • "You Always Knew!" (Tiffany's Story)

    "You Always Knew!" (Tiffany's Story)
    Jan 15 2026

    We love listener feedback. We may not be able to respond to everything we receive, but we do want to hear from you.

    For decades, Tiffany Thigpen carried the weight of what happened to her as a teenage girl in a Jacksonville church. A charismatic preacher. A trusted pastor. And a pattern of abuse that powerful leaders chose to ignore.

    This podcast episode is hosted by Carolyn McCulley and features an interview with journalist Robert Downen about the historical context of the Southern Baptist Convention. At the end, therapist Deborah Bumbaugh helps listeners understand Tiffany's story through the neurobiology of trauma.

    Our executive producer is Rachael Berglund.

    • The Silenced Truth is a project of the Safe to Speak Initiative.
    • Join our Patreon community to advocate for the legal protections that survivors need to safely disclose their experiences.
    • To support the production of this show, you can make a tax-deductible gift to the Southern Documentary Fund.

    FOR FURTHER CONTEXT

    PBS Newshour on the Abuse of Faith series, February 11, 2019

    WFAA-TV report on Paige Patterson’s firing from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, May 30, 2018

    Paige Patterson recording from the 2000 CBMW/FamilyLife Today conference

    Paige Patterson talks about a 16-year-old girl’s figure

    Pastor Cited in SBC Report on Abuse Worked at Churches in Oak Cliff, Garland, Richardson, Dallas Morning News, May 23, 2022

    Unearthed Tapes, Letters, Show Southern Baptist Leaders’ Support for Pastor Who Face Sex Scandal, by Rob Downen, Houston Chronicle, Aug. 28, 2019

    How Women Led to the Dramatic Rise and Fall of Southern Baptist Leader Paige Patterson, by Michelle Boorstein and Sarah Pulliam Bailey, The Washington Post, June 10, 2018

    Former Rising Star Preacher Pleads Guilty to Molestation, by Bob Allen, Associated Baptist Press, May 21, 2009

    Jacksonville Pastor Begins Prison Sentence, by Paul Pinkham, The Florida Times-Union, June 11, 2009.

    The Silenced Truth is a project of the Safe to Speak Initiative and is a production of Citygate Communications. It is fiscally sponsored by the Southern Documentary Fund.
    Show More Show Less
    1 hr and 31 mins
No reviews yet