Ravi Zacharias, the popular Christian faith defender, was exposed posthumously as a sexual predator. This sex scandal has created international turmoil. If Christian leaders are hypocrites, why should anyone give their beliefs a serious look?
Sadly, the faith landscape is littered with fallen leaders, from clergy sex abuse to the affairs of Carl Lentz, Jim Bakker, Jimmy Swaggart, and countless others. I knew Ravi professionally, though not well. I remain grateful for his kind, personal condolences and encouragement after my first wife left me. I was unaware of his sexual misconduct until the news broke. And, of course, I’m deeply concerned for his victims.
Parts of the investigative report commissioned by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries after his death in 2020 read like examples from a predation handbook. His modus operandi included grooming women for sexual favors, providing financial support (sometimes using ministry funds), extramarital relations, nude photos over the phone, multilingual seduction lines, and more. He even called one sexual partner a “reward” for his Christian service.
Though RZIM’s board now has issued a statement of contrition, it appears some senior leaders resisted corporate transparency as the scandal unfolded. Internal whistleblowers may be the heroes in this story.
For instance, RZIM public relations manager and spokeswoman Ruth Malhotra wrote a letter to the board chairman detailing misrepresentation, intimidation, and cover-ups: “There have been numerous times over the past three years when I’ve had to push back on direction from Ravi and the senior leadership so as not to make statements—or have statements attributed to me—on behalf of the ministry that I don’t believe or can’t defend.”
It’s hard not to look at a story like this and wonder if we should reject a belief system because its leaders misbehave — and their followers cover for them. Jeremiah, an ancient Jewish prophet, wrote, “The heart is the most deceitful thing there is and desperately wicked. No one can really know how bad it is!”
But it’s not just faith but the object of faith that’s important. If I swallow two white tablets to treat my headache, I’m placing faith in those tablets. If they are aspirin, they might work. If I grab roach poison by mistake, I could get sick.
I would suggest that Jesus is a worthy object of faith. Peter, one of his closest friends, said, “He never sinned, nor ever deceived anyone.” His followers, on the other hand, are imperfect.
Evaluate Jesus while mourning and confronting his misbehaving followers. Some have noted that RZIM’s leadership culture welcomed tough questions about Jesus but not about Zacharias. For the organization to regain its integrity, that must change.
Rusty Wright is an author and lecturer who has spoken on six continents. His film reviews and columns have been published by newspapers across the country and used by more than 2,000 websites.
