Skip to main content.
Related sites:
Religion News Blog is a non-profit service providing academics, religion professionals and other researchers with religion & cult news
ReligionNewsBlog

Religion news articles about religious cults, sects, world religions, and related issues

Navigation:
Web religionnewsblog.com
Home | Site Menu | About RNB | RNB Store | Cult FAQ | Cult Experts | Apologetics Index | Cult Information Search Engine
Earl Paulk:

In court papers, Paulk denies molesting girl

Atlanta Journal-Constitution, USA
Jun. 5, 2001
Gayle White
www.accessatlanta.com
  • Article Tools  • Share This Story

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 13305 • Posted: Tuesday June 5, 2001  

Click here... More articles on this topic: Earl Paulk

Bishop Earl Paulk, accused in a lawsuit of molesting a lifelong member of his church, says all his actions toward the woman were “entirely proper and were kindly Christian acts.”

In papers filed Friday in his behalf, Paulk “emphatically denies” molesting Jessica Battle. The papers were filed by lawyers including Dennis Brewer of Irving, Texas, who served as a board member of Jimmy Swaggart Ministries and whose clients have included television evangelists W.V. Grant and Marilyn Hickey.

“I think our answer speaks for itself,” said Edward Lindsey, an Atlanta lawyer representing Paulk. “Also, from the pulpit shortly after the case was filed, the bishop was pretty clear about his position.”

Paulk told about 5,000 worshippers on Easter Sunday at his Chapel Hill Harvester Church, “All the accusations you have been hearing are absolutely untrue, and it will be proven so.”

Battle, a Florida college student who grew up in Paulk’s south DeKalb County megachurch, filed suit in DeKalb State Court in April charging Paulk with child molestation. Battle said in her suit that from the time she was 7 until she was about 11 years old, Paulk “engaged in a pattern of conduct . . . that included caressing her, fondling her sexual organs, performing oral sex on her and having sexual intercourse with her.” She also charged that

five years ago, when she was 17, Paulk had forcible intercourse with her. Some of the acts occurred on church property or during church-sponsored events, according to the suit.

Battle’s suit, filed against Paulk, Chapel Hill Harvester Church and five unidentified defendants, has been assigned to Judge Wayne Purdom.

Chapel Hill Harvester Church, founded by Paulk, claims 15,000 members who meet in the $18.5 million, 7,700-seat neo-Gothic worship center on nearly 100 acres in south DeKalb County. Paulk also founded a Christian academy, a Bible institute for postsecondary study, programs for substance abusers and people with AIDS and an international television ministry. He has written more than a dozen books.



Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe: Religion News Blog RSS feed  |  Religion News Blog RSS feed Subscribe by topic: Earl Paulk
more cult news articlemore religion news More articles about Earl Paulk

Like this story?

Today's Most Popular Articles

Doctor Says...

Share this

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:




Article and Site Tools

» PermaLink to: In court papers, Paulk denies molesting girl
   Need a shorter link? You can remove everything after the final /
» More news articles + news archive on Earl Paulk
» More religion and cult news

Subscribe (RSS / Email) [What is RSS?]
» RSS News Feed - All Topics: Religion News Blog RSS Feed
» RSS News Feed - Single Topic: Earl Paulk
» Headlines by Email: Daily Religion News Blog Headlines

More Article Tools
• Bookmark / Tag: Del.icio.us
• Bookmark / Tag: Furl
Save this article
Email this article
Print this article [Temporarily out of order]

More Information
Books about Earl Paulk
Relevant books (and other goodies)

more religion news aboutmore Religion News Blog articles about

About Religion News Blog
Religion News Blog (RNB), published by Apologetics Index, highlights news items and other resources on world religions, cults, religious sects, alternative religions and related issues. RNB's non-profit news clipping service is used by - among others - Christian apologists, countercult professionals, anticult organizations, cult experts, teachers, religion professionals, reporters and other researchers.