Ted Arthur Haggard, the former pastor
who ran afoul of his Denver congregation after admitting to a
three-year pay-for-sex affair with male prostitute Mike Jones, is
making headlines once again. Fresh allegations of sexual impropriety
juxtapose the premiere of an HBO documentary on Pastor Ted, as he was
known to his congregation.
The HBO documentary The Trials of
Ted Haggard, set to premiere on the cable channel on Thursday,
was to be the centerpiece of an image makeover after his 2006 fall
from grace. But fresh sexual misconduct allegations against the
former pastor have put those plans in peril.
Haggard's former New Life Church in
Colorado Springs disclosed details Friday about a young male church
volunteer who has stepped forward to claim he had a sexual
relationship with Haggard.
Brady Boyd, who succeeded Haggard at
New Life, told the Associated Press that a young man who
volunteered at the church disclosed to church officials in 2006 that
had been involved with Haggard sexually for several years. Boyd said
the church reached a legal settlement with the man to remain silent
in exchange for payment of college tuition and counseling services.
“It wasn't at all a settlement to
make him be quiet or not tell his story,” Boyd told the Associated
Press. “Our desire was to help him. Here was a young man who
wanted to get on with his life. We considered it more compassionate
assistance – certainly not hush money. I know that's what everyone
will want to say because that's the most salacious thing to say, but
that's not at all what it was.”
Haggard's imagine mending tour – an
Oprah Winfrey Show episode with wife and children in tow has
been taped and an appearance on CNN's Larry King Live is
scheduled for Thursday – might have prompted the man to step
forward at this time.
Boyd suggested the documentary had spurred the man to speak up now.
“I think what caused this young man
to be a bit aggravated was Ted being seen as a victim, when he
himself had experienced a great deal of hurt,” Boyd said.
Immediately after Mike Jones revealed
his three-year association with Haggard in 2006, the scandal that
forced Haggard to lose the congregation he founded and into Arizona
exile, he denied being gay, saying only that he had committed “sexual
immorality.”
In seclusion, Haggard underwent
intensive counseling. One of the four ministers who oversaw that
therapy, Tim Ralph, pronounced Haggard “cured” on February 6,
2007. He said Haggard “is completely heterosexual.”
Haggard told the Associated Press
this month that his sexuality is complex and something that can't
be put into “stereotypical boxes.”
The former pastor has remained silent
on the new allegations.
Boyd told his congregation Sunday that
they are driven by a “holy tenacity” and will recover.