Leading Christian scholars have signed a public letter calling on Ravi Zacharias International Ministries and its board to move forward with its investigation of the ministry's namesake with "transparency and objectivity." 

Philosopher William Lane Craig posted the letter on his Facebook page earlier this week, saying that the signators all respected Ravi Zacharias, and have been grieving the revelation that Zacharias was a sexual predator. 

"As Christian philosophers and apologists who have respected Ravi Zacharias, we have been deeply troubled and grieved by Ravi’s documented sexual misconduct against women," the letter opens. 

In 2020 several former staff of day-spas which Zacharias was a co-owner of came forward with allegations of sexual misconduct on Zacharias' part over the course of several years. In 2017 Zacharias had also sued a Canadian woman who accused him of grooming her to participate in sending explicit photos of herself. 

RZIM hired a law firm in the fall of 2020 to conduct an investigation into the latest allegations. On December 23, the firm released a preliminary report confirming they found multiple pieces of credible evidence that Zacharias engaged in sexual misconduct over a period of several years. 

"We are united in urging Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) to approach the current investigation with transparency and objectivity with a view to full disclosure of the facts to the public," the letter says. 

"Where necessary, the RZIM Board of Directors and leadership should also both openly acknowledge their own complicity and initiate institutional reforms at RZIM as well as provide restitution to those wronged." 

Signators of the letter include: 

  • Mike Austin (Professor of Philosophy, Eastern Kentucky University, and current president of the Evangelical Philosophical Society) 
  • William Lane Craig (President, Reasonable Faith; Professor of Philosophy, Houston Baptist University; Talbot School of Theology) 
  • Sarah Enterline (Author; historical apologist) 
  • Gary Habermas (Distinguished Research Professor of Apologetics, Liberty University) 
  • Michael Licona (President, Risen Jesus, Inc., Associate Professor of Theology, Houston Baptist University) 
  • J.P. Moreland (Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University) 
  • Christopher Reese (Editor-in-chief, Worldview Bulletin) 
  • Hugh Ross (Founder and President, Reasons to Believe) 
  • Kathy Ross (Director, Reasons to Believe) 
  • Robert B. Stewart (Professor of Philosophy and Theology, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary) 
  • Jerry L Walls (Professor of Philosophy and Scholar in Residence, Houston Baptist University) 
  • David Wood (Acts 17 Apologetics) 

Miller & Martin PLLC is continuing its investigation and is expected to conclude later this month or February. 

The Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), the denomination which held Zacharias' ministry credentials, also opened its own investigation in 2020. In a statement to CHVN, the C&MA says its continuing with its investigation. 

"The Christian and Missionary Alliance has examined the preliminary report of the independent investigation commissioned by Ravi Zacharias International Ministries (RZIM) into the recent allegations of sexual abuse by Mr. Zacharias," the statement says. 

"We reviewed the report with sadness and grief. The C&MA is currently awaiting the results of its own independent investigation into the allegations against Mr. Zacharias and will issue a formal statement once that investigation has been completed."