Russell Brand's Rape Trial Opens in London. Christians Should Hold Two Truths at Once.

Russell Brand, the comedian and actor who in recent years has built a large online following while speaking openly about his religious devotion, is on trial in London on rape and sexual assault charges. He has pleaded not guilty to all of them.

Brand, 51, faces three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault involving six women, with alleged offenses between 1999 and 2009, The Associated Press reported. Eight men and four women were sworn in as jurors at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, The Guardian reported. The trial is expected to last six weeks, the Guardian said.

What the prosecution says

Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones opened the case Wednesday. She told jurors that the six women, who do not know each other, were assaulted in "a hotel room, workplaces, a toilet cubicle in a bar and at his home address," according to the AP.

"He was ruthless, he was calculating, he was manipulative. And, the prosecution say, he was a sexual predator," she said. She described Brand at the time as "a flirt with a huge sexual appetite – childlike in his expectation that his every desire should be met," The Independent reported. These are the prosecution's claims; Brand denies them.

The earliest alleged rape, the prosecution says, took place in Bournemouth during the Labour Party conference in 1999. The other allegations run through 2009. "Six women, separate women, different allegations," Karmy-Jones told the jury, according to the BBC. She said the women "came forward independently of each other."

The first witness, Mark Pinheiro, a former friend who went with Brand to Bournemouth in 1999, testified that Brand seemed "really flustered" the next day and insisted on returning to London, AFP reported. Under cross-examination about the reliability of his account, Pinheiro said, "I haven't alleged Russell did anything," according to The Independent.

What Brand says

Brand denies all the charges, the Guardian reported. Arriving at court Wednesday, he said he felt "blessed." "I feel, of course, concerned but hopeful that this process will lead to good outcomes for everybody involved," he said. "That's my prayer."

The judge, Mr Justice Bennathan, warned jurors to ignore past reporting about Brand, the Guardian reported. Dock Line is not naming any of the women. British law protects the identities of the complainants for life.

Brand became famous in the 2000s as a television and BBC radio host and appeared in films including "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" and "Get Him to the Greek." He was married to Katy Perry from 2010 to 2012. More recently, the AP noted, he moved to Florida and built an online audience with videos mixing wellness, conspiracy theories and discussion of his faith.

Opinion: Two things can be true

Because Brand talks so openly about his faith, this trial may be uncomfortable for some Christian readers. It should not make it confusing.

First, Brand is presumed innocent. A prosecutor's opening is an accusation, not a verdict. A jury will hear the evidence, including cross-examination, and decide. Christians of all people should honor that process. "He that answereth a matter before he heareth it, it is folly and shame unto him" (Proverbs 18:13). Rushing to condemn a man because we dislike him, or to defend him because we like his politics, are the same mistake.

Second, these charges are grave, and six women say they were wronged. They deserve to be heard with the same seriousness. Scripture never tells us to protect a man's reputation at the expense of the vulnerable. "Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy" (Proverbs 31:9).

Finally, conversion is real, and so is accountability. If a man truly turns to Christ, his sins are forgiven before God. That does not erase his duty to answer before an earthly court. The thief on the cross was promised paradise, and he still hung on his cross. Repentance and consequences are not enemies. As Dock Line has written, judgment begins at God's house, and those who speak in God's name are held to a higher standard, not a lower one.

Pray for justice in this courtroom, whatever it turns out to be. Pray for the women who will testify. And pray for Brand, that whatever the verdict, his faith proves to be the real thing.

Hero photo: Cantab12 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped and resized.