Russell Brand and the response of the Church: Where is our lament?

Russell Brand has been found guilty of rape. Among the many responses I’ve seen, there is one thing that has really troubled me.

Brand’s conversion to Christianity, and the response to it from Christian leaders, had always made me uncomfortable. His conversion came amid considerable controversy surrounding his alleged (at that point) treatment of women. I was particularly uncomfortable when photographs emerged of all-male Christian fraternities and groups seemingly welcoming him with open arms.

Repentance is at the very heart of the Christian faith, so I struggled to understand what was happening. Were the allegations untrue? (Something I found difficult to believe, given what we know about how rarely women make up allegations of sexual violence.) Did the Christian men involved simply believe he wasn’t guilty?