ATLANTA — Ravi Zacharias, a highly influential Atlanta-area Christian theologian and minister who died in May, committed "sexual misconduct" during his life, the board of his ministries organization said this week.
The board of Ravi Zacharias International Ministries said in a lengthy statement posted Wednesday that allegations were brought in August, and that an investigation has been ongoing since then.
The investigation is not yet complete, and is not expected to be so until after the New Year, but the board said it wanted to provide an update because it was now clear that Zacharias "did indeed engage in sexual misconduct."
The board of the Alpharetta-based organization said it had brought in the law firm Miller & Martin PLLC to conduct the investigation independently.
A copy of the preliminary report prepared by Miller & Martin primarily focuses on allegations stemming from massage therapists at two Atlanta-area spas about a decade ago.
"We have found significant, credible evidence that Mr. Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct over the course of many years," the report says.
The preliminary report only covers the sexual harassment which allegedly occurred at the spas, but notes "we were given broad discretion and authority to follow leads into other sexual misconduct that might arise, and that is exactly what we have done," suggesting further allegations have potentially been uncovered.
Many of the massage therapists "have spoken candidly and with great detail," the report states.
"This misconduct is deeply troubling and wholly inconsistent with the man Ravi Zacharias presented both publicly and privately to so many over more than four decades of public ministry," a statement said. "We are devastated for those who have suffered from Ravi’s misconduct and for the pain that they are enduring. They have asked for confidentiality and anonymity, and both we and the investigators are committed to honoring their wishes."
Zacharias was a towering figure in evangelical Christian philosophy through nearly a half-century of work. He founded Ravi Zacharias International Ministries in Toronto in the early 1980s and eventually moved it to Atlanta.
When he died in May, Vice President Mike Pence, Gov. Brian Kemp, Ben Carson and Sonny Perdue were among the conservative figures to attend his funeral in Atlanta.
"RZIM will publicly release the Miller & Martin report as given to the Board as soon as possible after the investigation is complete. In the meantime, we share your compassion for any victims of this conduct, and we appreciate your prayers for them and also for Ravi’s family who have been devastated by this information," the board statement said. "As ever, the Lord remains our principal hope for healing and restoration."