Bible scholar Jeremy Lyon sues Baptist News Global for defamation

Jeremy Lyon, a former associate professor of Old Testament and Hebrew at Truett McConnell University in Cleveland, Georgia, has filed a lawsuit against Baptist News Global (BNG) alleging the publication defamed him during its coverage of a sex abuse scandal involving former university Vice President Bradley Reynolds.

BNG has denied the allegation in a response to the former professor’s 23-page lawsuit filed on Dec. 22, 2025, seeking an award of unspecified damages over $75,000 along with punitive damages.

“BNG operates with the highest ethical standards of professional journalism. We have been at the forefront of covering sexual abuse in the Southern Baptist Convention, and thus it is not surprising some would attempt to repudiate our witness,” Mark Wingfield, BNG’s executive director and publisher, said in response. “We stand ready to defend our work.”

Lyon’s lawsuit references two articles by Joe Westbury, published by BNG on June 5 and June 13, 2025, about documents sent to the university as part of a 13-page dossier from the law firm of Shein, Brandenburg and Shrope. BNG reported that the "letter from the firm states both Reynolds and former faculty member Jeremy Lyon utilized their positions 'to access and then harm, emotionally and mentally, at least two female students.'"

The reports reference an allegation made by a Jane Doe, who claimed she was sexually harassed by Lyons on Oct. 20, 2021, inside the gym at the school’s Student Life Building when she was a sophomore.

“After a couple of uncomfortable conversations initiated by Lyon — with whom she had no classes and had not previously met — Lyon approached once again, pressed his body against hers and she could feel he was sexually aroused,” BNG reported of the woman's claims. 

In his lawsuit, Lyon said he was never contacted by BNG to respond to the allegations. 

“No one has ever contacted, or attempted to contact, Dr. Lyon to interview or question him about any of the Statements in the Articles. At no point prior to reading the June 5 Article had Dr. Lyon received any notice that anyone had ever made the accusations against him that were made in the June 5 Article,” the lawsuit states.

“Dr. Lyon categorically denies the Statements in the Articles. Defendant BNG falsely attempted to bolster its source by claiming that it was relying on ‘a law firm,’ when in fact no law firm conveyed that Dr. Lyon is part of the sexual abuse scandal at TMU, that Dr. Lyon has been accused of committing any acts similar to those allegedly committed by Reynolds, or that any complaint is being pursued against Dr. Lyon for any alleged sexual harassment or abuse.”

Lyon said he wrote to BNG on July 31, 2025, and Sept. 22, 2025, demanding that the publication “retract and take down the Statements in the Articles, but BNG officials failed and refused to take down or retract any of the Statements or the Articles.”

“The Statements accusing Dr. Lyon of sexual abuse and abuse of his faculty position constitute defamation per se, for which compensatory damages are presumed as a matter of law. Dr. Lyon has suffered actual damages as a direct result of the Statements about him, including to his reputation,” the lawsuit adds. “Dr. Lyon has suffered actual damages as a direct result of the Statements about him, including lost income.”

Lyons' suit states that, as a result of BNG's reporting, his contracts as an adjunct professor with Southern California Seminary, Calvary University and Grand Canyon University were all terminated, and he is now forced to work in retail to make ends meet. He was also removed as president of the Creation Theology Society and from certain podcasts that were previously published online.

“Dr. Lyon’s damages continue to increase, as he is unable to find work in his professional field as a result of the Statements in the Articles and instead is currently working in retail at a significantly reduced income,” the lawsuit states. “Dr. Lyon also has suffered actual damages as a direct result of the Statements about him in the form of emotional and mental distress.”

Last month, Reynolds, who was accused of grooming and sexual assault by former student-athlete Hayle Swinson, was indicted for lying to police in Georgia during an investigation of the allegations last year.

Swinson, who was also employed as a soccer coach by the private Baptist college from 2013 through 2018, claimed to The Roys Report earlier in 2025 that she was groomed and digitally raped by Reynolds.

She alleged that Reynolds sent her some 300 emails where he described having “wet dreams” about her. During alleged discipleship classes held in the basement of his home, Swinson said Reynolds touched her inappropriately and progressed his abuse to what she described as digital rape.

“I was groomed, I was confused, I was targeted,” Swinson told The Roys Report founder Julie Roys. “I felt isolated, like I was alone. ... It took, and it has taken, and it will take years of my life to unwind every lie that was told to me.”

When Reynolds was questioned by the investigator in 2024 about his relationship with Swinson after she filed a criminal complaint, he denied having a sexual relationship with her, according to the grand jury indictment. He also denied owning a specific email from which Swinson showed police that she received the emails from him.

Reynolds further denied “telling and emailing Swinson that his wife was going to die and that he would make Swinson his second wife.”