Survivors & Abuse Continued: Rachel Denhollander on Faith and Accountability

Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

Christianity Today

History, Documentary, Society & Culture, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.7 • 717 Ratings

🗓️ 13 November 2025

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In this bonus episode, Mike Cosper sits down with attorney and advocate Rachel Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Larry Nassar of sexual abuse. Together, they discuss what it really costs to tell the truth, the devastating realities survivors face, and how the church can either protect the vulnerable, or fail them completely. Denhollander offers a powerful perspective on justice, accountability, and the Christian community’s responsibility to confront both false narratives and the real evil within its walls. We are grateful for Rachel Denhollander’s time, expertise, and contribution to this episode. Devil and the Deep Blue Sea is a production of Christianity Today. Hosted and written by Mike Cosper Produced by Rebekah Sebastian, with production assistance by Dawn Adams Sound Design and Mix Engineer: TJ Hester Sound Design, Animation, and Video: Steve Scheidler Graphic Design: Nim Ben Reuven Music by Dirt Poor Robins Erik Petrik and Mike Cosper are the executive producers of CT Media Podcasts Matt Stevens is our senior producer. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a rating and review to help more people find the show. Thanks for listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This paid message is from the 2025 holiday gift guide for book lovers from CT Creative Studio.
0:08.3	At Christianity Today, we believe in the miraculous magic of books.
0:13.4	This Christmas, we invite you to share the magic of reading with a book that's perfect for each person on your gift list.
0:20.9	Visit Christmas gift buying guide.com to browse our books.
0:26.2	This paid message is from W Publishing.
0:29.0	The Lord's Prayer is the most famous prayer in history,
0:31.4	but in its familiarity, have we lost its power?
0:34.8	When we see this prayer in the context Jesus first gave it, everything changes.
0:39.5	It's the most important passage in the Bible for understanding who God is, why Jesus came,
0:44.8	and what our purpose is here on earth. Discover how the Lord's Prayer can change your life and our
0:50.0	world at Bringing Heaven here.com. A note to listeners. This story contains sensitive content including sexual abuse, child murder, and dark spiritual
1:16.3	themes.
1:17.3	It may not be suitable for all listeners. Welcome to bonus episode number five of Devil in the Deep Blue Sea.
1:36.6	I'm Mike Kaspur, and today I'm in conversation with my friend Rachel Den Hollander.
1:41.6	Rachel is an attorney, an author, and an advocate.
1:45.1	You might also recognize her as the first woman to publicly accuse Larry Nasser
1:49.6	in the USA gymnastics scandal of sexual abuse, a decision that she made that helped to expose
1:56.4	decades of systemic failure and change the way many institutions are responding to survivors.
2:02.7	Today, Rachel and I talk about what it really costs to seek justice, the risks of telling
2:07.6	hard truths, and how our faith communities can either protect the vulnerable or fail them completely.
2:14.0	We here at CT are grateful for Rachel's time, her expertise, and her perspective on this topic, including the pushback that she has on some elements of the show.
2:22.8	Enjoy the conversation.
	...

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