In 2021, we published “Clarke’s” account of being groomed by their high school English teacher Christopher Lapeyre, then an ACNA lay leader. In June 2024, Clarke released an online memoir that chronicles the aftermath of the grooming, including subsequent abuse at the hands of ACNA lay catechist and now-convicted sex offender Mark Rivera.

The lessons of obedience to my husband as to God, combined with the insistence that God (through others) knew me better than I knew myself led directly to my accepting emotional abuse as godly submission to authority. My religious indoctrination groomed me to be an unwitting, but willing victim.

Steve was a Wheaton College student when he started attending Church of the Resurrection in 2006. He alleges spiritually abusive behavior and pastoral malpractice by Resurrection leaders, including being targeted for excommunication despite adhering to church requirements that, as a gay person, he remain celibate.

Steve was a Wheaton College student when he started attending Church of the Resurrection in 2006. He alleges spiritually abusive behavior and pastoral malpractice by Resurrection leaders, including being targeted for excommunication despite adhering to church requirements that, as a gay person, he remain celibate.

“Ursa” alleges that Christopher Lapeyre abused his power as a teacher and mentor to groom her while she was a minor and enter a manipulative sexual relationship with her when she was a very young adult.

“River” was a Wheaton College student when she met Mark Rivera at Church of the Resurrection. Read her story of how Mark’s grooming in plain view of Rez leaders set her up for sexual abuse at the hands of a female Wheaton professor and others.

“Clarke” was 16 when her high school English teacher began cultivating an inappropriately close relationship with her. Read her story of how Christopher Lapeyre groomed and manipulated her, causing lasting pain and trauma.

“Amber,” a survivor, has come forward to share her story of a childhood sexually abuse encounter with an older boy at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, IL. This trauma was further compounded by a youth group culture that emphasized female guilt and unsafe environments, and further exacerbated by the church’s identification of sexual abuse as consensual sexual sin.

On September 16, 2021, we published the story of a survivor under the pseudonym Carol. “Carol’s” parents also want to speak out and ask Church of the Resurrection how they plan to address Carol’s allegations. Here is the letter Carol’s parents asked us to post, with Carol’s permission.

The following account may be triggering for some readers. “Carol,” a survivor, has come forward to share her story of childhood sexual abuse at Church of the Resurrection in Wheaton, IL. She additionally alleges mishandling of her abuse by leaders at Resurrection, nearly two decades ago.