Robert Morris, founder and former senior pastor of Gateway Church in Texas who served on President Donald Trump's Evangelical Advisory Board in 2016, pleaded guilty on Thursday to five felony counts of child sexual abuse.
Why It Matters
Morris, formerly of Gateway—one of the largest evangelical congregations in Texas—resigned from the church last year amid the accusations.
The case marks a significant development in ongoing national discussions concerning abuse within religious organizations and the challenges survivors face in seeking justice. The guilty plea and sentencing of such a prominent religious figure cast a spotlight on the mechanisms of institutional accountability and the ongoing efforts to address sexual abuse in faith-based communities and beyond.
In 2020, during a "Roundtable on Transition to Greatness" event in Texas, Trump mentioned Morris along with another pastor, calling them "great people." Trump added, according to archived White House remarks, "Great people with a great reputation. I have to say that. Great reputation. And Gateway Church — the team has been incredible in hosting us."
What To Know
Morris, 64, entered guilty pleas to five counts of lewd or indecent acts with a child at a hearing in Osage County District Court, Oklahoma, before Judge Cindy Pickerill on Thursday.
The charges stemmed from abuse beginning in 1982—when the victim was 12 and Morris was a traveling evangelist—until she was 16, according to the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.
"There can be no tolerance for those who sexually prey on children," Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a release. "This case is all the more despicable because the perpetrator was a pastor who exploited his position of trust and authority. The victim in this case has waited far too many years for this day."
