Naomi Zacharias, one of the daughters of late apologist Ravi Zacharias, has issued a staunch defence of her sister Sarah Philips and the leadership team at Ravi Zacharias International Ministries.
She’s spoken out after a group of renowned apologist released a statement on Wednesday accusing the leadership team at RZIM of failing to show "godly sorrow" nor "repentance for their actions" following the Ravi Zacharias' abuse scandal.
They argue RZIM staff members who tried to raise concerns about Ravi Zacharias' abuse allegations, were "intimidated, mistreated, or retaliated against" by the leadership team.
But in a statement to Premier, Naomi Zacharias said the report has "many categorically false statements".
"It is heart-breaking to read this," she said.
"A group of men that has neither church or organisational authority, nor the expertise to investigate things of this nature, unionised themselves as a self-appointed judge and jury, ultimately creating a club to gossip and print lies as truth.
"There are so many categorically false statements, the only evidence is that 1,000 hours will not produce the truth to him who does not genuinely want it."
The report specifically criticises members of the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) formed by Sarah (Davis) Philips, Michael Ramsden and Abdu Murray.
They are all accused of "bullying" and "chastising" employees for raising "legitimate questions". Sarah Philips is specifically accused of reprimanding staff for "insubordination" and side-lining them for "challenging leadership".
While the report also acknowledges the trauma caused by the actions of her father and gives her credit for pushing for an internal investigation looking at the culture at RZIM, it argues that "being a victim of her father's actions does not excuse (Davis) Phillips for her own behaviour toward RZIM employees".
Naomi Zacharias' statement continued: "In what once began as claimed advocacy for truth and women, specifically, they now use their unique platform to inflict pain, destruction, and frankly a relentless pummelling on a woman who has already suffered heart-shattering loss and trauma they can't possibly understand.
"Instead of coming alongside her and working to bring healing, as Christ did, and helping her to somehow live, they issue yet another statement that attempts to humiliate, destroy, present lies as fact, and prevent her from surviving. Last I checked, she isn't applying to work with them.
"I see nothing biblical here, and if this is the current leadership of Christian apologetics and the search for truth, a meaningful defence of the Gospel in the public square will not thrive. Perhaps they should also be grateful Peter, Paul, David, and Deborah have not formed a committee to evaluate their qualifications for leadership of any kind."