The scandal surrounding allegations by a man who says he was a gay prostitute that had an intimate business relationship with national Evangelical religious leader the Rev. Ted Haggard continues to grow one day after Haggard’s resignation.
The story is significant given Haggard’s national stature, his role in counseling President George Bush and his being in the forefront of the battle (including in his home state of Colorado) against gay marriage.
Perhaps the biggest news is that Haggard has reportedly made a partial confession:
The Rev. Ted Haggard, who stepped down as head of the 30 million-member National Association of Evangelicals on Thursday after allegations that include having gay sex, has confessed to some of the allegations, a fellow pastor said in an e-mail to church members.
“It is important for you to know that he confessed to the overseers that some of the accusations against him are true,â€? Ross Parsley, the acting senior pastor at New Life Church stated. Haggard on Thursday also stepped aside as leader of the 14,000-member New Life Church, based in Colorado Springs.
“He has willingly and humbly submitted to the authority of the board of overseers, and will remain on administrative leave during the course of the investigation,� the e-mail stated. A copy was obtained by KMGH-TV in Denver.
Some must read news links:
Americablog’s You Tube of Good Morning America’s report on the scandal which includes an interview with accuser Michael Jones and the playing of what Jones says are voice mails from Haggard.
Jones failed a polygraph test administered in Denver.
CNN faith and values correspondent Delia Gallagher says the allegations raise political and timing questions.
Time: A Mega Scandal For A Mega Church
Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) report on scandal
La Shawn Barber: Christians Can Be Perverts, Too
Mark Daniels (who often writes from a theological point of view): On Haggard and Recovery in the Hospital for Hypocrites
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.