Ravi Zacharias’ Ordination Status Revoked, Ministries Suspend Fundraising or Disband After Abuse Report

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The Christian and Missionary Alliance has revoked the ordination of the late Ravi Zacharias, citing a “pattern of predatory behavior.”

“In recognition of this gross violation and its painful consequences to the victims and others who were impacted, the C&MA posthumously expels Mr. Zacharias from licensed ministry in our denomination,” the Alliance wrote in a statement. “This comes with the automatic revocation of his ordination.”

The expulsion is the latest consequence from an investigation that found the late evangelist had engaged in a pattern of abuse and misconduct.

A law firm hired by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries issued its report Feb. 9.

RZIM also publicly apologized to Lori Anne Thompson, a Canadian woman who had accused Zacharias of abuse and of soliciting nude photos of her. Zacharias denied the allegations and sued Thompson and her husband. The lawsuit was settled, and the Thompsons are currently under a non-disclosure agreement. The law firm that investigated Zacharias asked for the couple to be released from the NDA, but it remains in effect.

After the report was released, RZIM suspended its fundraising and disabled the online giving function on its website.

“In light of the recent revelations regarding our founder, we find it prudent to suspend all fundraising activities until a path forward can be envisioned that includes care for all of Ravi’s victims, as well as the staff and supporters of RZIM,” read a notice on the organization’s “give” page..

Citing the report into Zacharias’ conduct, the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability terminated RZIM’s membership, saying, “ministry resources were improperly used in relation to sexual abuse and misconduct.”

Several offices of RZIM outside of the U.S. have been also affected by the report on Zacharias’ conduct. The board of the RZIM Trust in the United Kingdom announced it will separate from RZIM’s global organization. The RZIM affiliates in Africa issued an apology and called for an investigation into the finances and governance of the international ministry.

Meanwhile, the board of RZIM Canada announced it would shut down.

“Regrettably, we are of the conviction that it is not possible for RZIM Canada to fulfill this mandate within the current environment. Therefore, it is with heaviness of heart and after much prayerful consideration that we are compelled to begin winding down the operations of RZIM Canada,” the organization said in a statement.

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