Update: Alleged child sex abuser Carroll Wynne resigns from Tenth Presbyterian

TLD: Tenth does not appear to be fulfilling its legal obligation as a mandated reporter of child sexual abuse. Thus, we urge parents not to place their children at risk by bringing them to Tenth Presbyterian, PCA, in Philadelphia.

Churches should be places of refuge and sanctuaries where people can go to be safe, grow in their faith, and love God and each other. But over the past few years, we’ve seen that Tenth Presbyterian in Philadelphia has become toxic, dangerous, and abusive. So, the recent news that Tenth Presbyterian associate pastor Carroll Wynne has resigned, seemingly one step ahead of a church court, gives us a glimmer of hope that the church will clean up its act.

Who is Carroll Wynne?

Caroll Wynne first hit our radar when we published a copy of the GRACE independent report into abuse at Tenth Presbyterian.

Per the GRACE report:

Carroll Wynne (“Wynne”) began attending Tenth in the 1980’s and served in the role of youth director from 1998 until 2009. In 2009, Wynne attained his current position as the Minister of Pastoral Care. Wynne has also served as an elder for Tenth throughout his tenure. As the Minister of Pastoral Care, Wynne’s responsibilities include shut-in and hospital visits, counseling intake, premarital counseling, and new membership courses.

Wynne initially served as liaison between GRACE and Tenth at the outset of the investigation. Upon receiving allegations against Wynne of sexual misconduct against a minor via survey response in August 2022, GRACE requested a new liaison be appointed.

GRACE received confirmation from Tenth leadership that the allegations against Wynne be investigated, and investigated the same as part of this independent investigation.

The allegations

The GRACE report identifies a slew of ugly allegations against Carroll Wynne, including:

• Sexual abuse of minors.
• Keeping pornography on church computers.
• Inappropriate and sexualized comments.
• Failing to report the distribution of child pornography among church members.
• Assault and battery.
• Spiritual and relational abuse.

One particularly troubling incident cited in the GRACE report was Carroll Wynne’s effort to run interference for convicted pedophile and Tenth member George Garner. In his letter, visible on page 21 of the GRACE report, Carroll Wynne told the court:

During the last three years I have known Bruce Garner as one of his pastors and fellow elder at our church. As he was taking up duties as a leader, we would meet from time to time to share about specific concerns in our fellowship and how we may pray, alleviate financial stresses, and be present with them in their spiritual struggles. Bruce has a compassionate heart and is knowledgeable of the Bible. It is why this contradiction in his behavior is so difficult to understand.

Due to his age and weakened health, I would plead for mercy from the court in his sentencing. His shame and guilt weigh heavily upon him and his family, who have stood beside him as do we as church fellowship.

Yet the GRACE report reveals that Carroll Wynne scarcely knew Garner.

To be clear, there is zero reason to run interference for Garner. His behavior is evil and loathsome, and by pleading for leniency, Carroll Wynne undercuts the witnesses who came forward and injects cheap grace into a situation calling for accountability. Indeed, if Carroll Wynne wanted to wade in, the appropriate argument was for an enhanced sentence in light of Garner’s abuse of trust.

Even worse, Tenth, at least at the time of the GRACE report, was attempting to rehabilitate Garner, with an apparent goal of allowing him to return to the church once his incarceration is over. And Garner has permission to worship at another area PCA church, thus putting youth at that church at heightened risk of abuse.

PCA, what on this green earth are you thinking? Have you lost your minds?

Carroll Wynne’s resignation letter

In the middle of this vile crock of goo, we see Carroll Wynne’s resignation letter, which he sent to the church and Philadelphia Presbytery last month. The letter was distributed to church members recently.

But the resignation letter raises more questions than it answers. These questions include:

• Why does it not reference the sordid findings of the GRACE investigative report?
• Do we really need a PCA investigative committee to reinvent the wheel? We thought the whole idea of an independent investigation was just that–to obtain an independent, professional report. Yes, we get the Book of Church Order (BCO) requirements, but surely the results of a professional investigation can be incorporated into BCO-required processes and procedures.
• Why is Carroll Wynne still around? The findings of child sexual abuse in the GRACE report warranted that he be immediately banned from church property and referred to law enforcement. And don’t anyone dare invoke the BCO on this issue — Tenth couldn’t have cared less what the BCO said when Goligher and his adulterous buddy Susan Elzey committed perjury and went after Phil Snyder. Moreover, nothing removes the ethical and legal imperative to prevent and report child abuse. Clergy and church officials are mandated reporters in Pennsylvania, and there is no time limit on sexual abuse, which is broadly defined under state law. And just in case Session can’t figure it out, residents may meet their mandated reporting requirements by visiting www.compass.state.pa.us/cwis or by calling 1-800-932-0313. And yes, failure to report is a criminal offense.

In other words, if Tenth Presbyterian has not reported Carroll Wynne’s alleged sexual abuse of minors, it and every member with knowledge of this matter is a criminal.

What is Carroll Wynne trying to accomplish?

Then we come to the granddaddy of questions: What is Wynne Carroll trying to accomplish?

Our hunch is he’s trying to evade PCA discipline by pulling up stakes.

To be clear, contrary to the claims in his letter, nothing about Wynne Carroll’s resignation honors God or the church.

Wynne Carroll’s departure is a marginal improvement, but the situation is akin to a bank robber saying, “I’m now honoring the bank by leaving.”

Uh, no.

Relatedly, we find the opening line of Wynne Carroll’s letter inherently suspect:

Through the testimony of witnesses and the work or the Presbytery Investigation Committee previously hidden sins have been uncovered in my life over the duration of my ministry at Tenth Presbyterian Church.

Um, why is he hiding sins? Has he ever heard of confession and repentance?

Our take on it is that Carroll Wynne is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, who’s now trying to say, “Well, I am a sheep. See, I even have wool like a sheep.”

By their fruits you shall know them.

The bottom line

The bottom line is the bottom line in this sordid mess. Even as we see incremental signs of ethically appropriate conduct, we see George McFarland and the rest of the corrupt Tenth Session ducking and weaving and trying to avoid the real issues. These issues include:

• The need to address corruption at the top, including Liam Goligher and George McFarland. Obviously, we are not fans of Carroll Wynne. But it’s the very definition of corruption to oust mid-tier church officials engaged in misconduct, while circling the wagons to protect Liam Goligher, George McFarland, and the other so-called leaders who set bad examples for others.
• The need to address major corporate sin on the part of the church. Specifically, until we see the church admit its evil conduct, including perjury, towards Phil Snyder, and make restitution, Tenth remains morally bankrupt.
• The need to immediately report child abuse of any sort to law enforcement. Not a week later, not a month later, not after an internal investigation. We expect Tenth to comply with Pennsylvania’s mandatory child abuse reporting laws–and again, there is no time limit on sexual abuse.
• The need to immediately protect victims of abuse by removing access of alleged abusers to children and the Body of Christ. Again, we don’t give a red rat’s rear end what the BCO says on this issue–it just needs to happen.
• The need to remove those complicit in abuse. As Desmond Tutu said, “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”
• While we’re on the topic, all staff, clergy, and members of session need to undergo background checks. Huge tax liens? Possession of drug paraphernalia? These may not be automatically disqualifying, but there is a pressing need for accountability and transparency.

In other words, corruption at Tenth has gone on far too long. It is time to clean house, remove corrupt persons, repent, and make restitution. Part of that is reporting abuse to law enforcement.

Until these things happen, Tenth is NOT “Exalting His Name, Proclaiming His Word,” as falsely claimed on its website. And we urge parents NOT to bring their children to a church that covers-up child sexual abuse and refuses to fulfill its legal obligations as a mandated reporter.