Editing GRACE (organization)

{{Short description|Non-profit organization focused on combatting abuse in Christian organizations}}
{{Infobox organization
| name         = Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment
| image        = GRACE Logo.jpg
| image_size   = 200
| type         = [[Non-profit Organization]]
| abbreviation = GRACE
| formation    = 2004, recognized as nonprofit in 2006
| founder      = Basyle "Boz" Tchividjian
| key_people   = Pete Singer (Executive Director)
| location     = [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], United States
| purpose      = Abuse prevention
| website      = {{URL|netgrace.org}}
}}

'''GRACE''' ('''Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment''' ) is a Virginia [[501(c)(3)]] [[non-profit organization]] to help Christian groups confront [[sexual abuse]]s, [[psychological abuse]]s and [[physical abuse]]s. Its headquarters are at [[Lynchburg, Virginia]], United States.

==History==
GRACE was founded in 2003 after a reporter called Boz Tchividjian about a case of sexual abuse mishandled by a pastor.<ref name=AmProsp>{{cite magazine | author = Joyce, Kathryn | date = May 5, 2014 | title = The Next Christian Sex-Abuse Scandal | magazine = [[The American Prospect]] (Prospect.org) | url = https://prospect.org/2014/05/05/next-christian-sex-abuse-scandal/  | access-date = 6 November 2025 | language = en | quote = [Teaser:] As sex-abuse allegations multiply, Billy Graham’s grandson [Boz Tchividjian] is on a mission to persuade Protestant churches to come clean.}}</ref>{{verification needed|date=November 2025}} He became convinced that [[Evangelical]] institutions were not properly addressing incidents of sexual abuse, incidents that he believed would eventually lead to scandals similar to [[Catholic Church sexual abuse cases|those that had damaged the Catholic Church]]. In Tchividjian's view, the authoritarian culture of some Protestant organizations was particularly susceptible to what he called "spiritual abuse"—the attempt of religious leaders to silence victims or convince them that they deserved their abuse.<ref name=AmProsp/>{{verification needed|date=November 2025}} Tchividjian has stated that "When it comes to child sexual abuse, too many churches and Christian organizations prefer to sacrifice individuals in order to protect themselves. We end up living out the very antithesis of the Gospel that we preach. The consequences are devastating."<ref name="HChron">{{cite news |last=Allan |first=Turner | date=2015-10-28 | title=Billy Graham's Grandson on Protestants' Response to Child Sex Abuse | work=[[The Houston Chronicle]] (HoustonChronicle.com) | url=http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/Billy-Graham-s-grandson-on-6596205.php | access-date=2016-01-26 }}</ref>

Tchividjian first contacted Victor Vieth, who previously headed the Gundersen National Child Protection Training Center, and Diane Langberg, a psychologist from Pennsylvania who specialized in trauma; these three invited a number of legal, therapeutic and clerical professionals to form a board that created GRACE,<ref name=AmProsp/>{{verification needed|date=November 2025}} an organization dedicated to educating churches and [[parachurch]] organizations about preventing, detecting, and dealing with sexual abuse.<ref name=AmProsp/>{{verification needed|date=November 2025}}

The organization was officially founded in 2004 by Tchividjian in order to help churches to fight against [[sexual abuse]] in Christian organizations.<ref>{{cite news | author = Pease, Joshua| date = May 31, 2018 | title = The Sin of Silence | newspaper = [[The Washington Post]] (WashingtonPost.com) | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/05/31/feature/the-epidemic-of-denial-about-sexual-abuse-in-the-evangelical-church/ | access-date = 6 November 2025}}</ref>{{verification needed|date=November 2025}}

<ref name=AmProsp>{{cite magazine | author = Joyce, Kathryn | date = May 5, 2014 | title = The Next Christian Sex-Abuse Scandal | magazine = [[The American Prospect]] (Prospect.org) | url = https://prospect.org/2014/05/05/next-christian-sex-abuse-scandal/  | access-date = 6 November 2025 | language = en | quote = [Teaser:] As sex-abuse allegations multiply, Billy Graham’s grandson [Boz Tchividjian] is on a mission to persuade Protestant churches to come clean.}}</ref>

== Programs ==
GRACE offers [[sexual abuse|sexual]], [[psychological abuse|psychological]], and [[physical abuse]] prevention programs; independent investigation of allegations of abuse; and organizational culture assessments of abuse prevention.<ref>GRACE, 
[https://www.netgrace.org/ Programs], netgrace.org, USA, accessed August 16, 2025</ref><ref> Amanda Marcotte, [https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/05/boz-tchividjian-is-on-a-mission-billy-grahams-grandson-wants-to-root-out-sexual-abuse-in-the-evangelical-church.html Billy Graham’s Grandson Is on a Mission to Root Out Sexual Abuse in the Evangelical Church], slate.com, USA, May 7, 2014</ref><ref>[http://www.guidestar.org/profile?id=20-3297830 Guidestar entry for Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment] Page accessed January 24, 2016</ref><ref name=Slate>Amanda Marcotte for ''Slate''. May 7, 2014 [http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2014/05/07/boz_tchividjian_is_on_a_mission_billy_graham_s_grandson_wants_to_root_out.html Billy Graham’s Grandson Is on a Mission to Root Out Sexual Abuse in the Evangelical Church]</ref>

==See also==
* [[Christina Krüsi]]
* [[Missionary kid]]
* [[Religious abuse]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.netgrace.org/}}

[[Category:Charities based in Virginia]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 2004]]
[[Category:Response to sexual abuse scandals in Christianity]]