Paige Patterson Stripped of ALL Retirement Perks – No President Emeritus Status, No Residential Privileges, No Ongoing Compensation

“Deeming the information demanded immediate action and could not be deferred to a regular meeting of the Board, based on the details presented, the Executive Committee unanimously resolved to terminate Dr. Paige Patterson, effective immediately, removing all the benefits, rights and privileges provided by the May 22-23 board meeting, including the title of President Emeritus, the invitation to reside at the Baptist Heritage Center as theologian-in-residence and ongoing compensation.”

Statement by SWBTS Board of Trustees Executive Committee (5/30/18) 

https://twitter.com/_PPatterson_/mediaPaige Patterson – Twitter

Twenty years ago Paige Patterson, one of the architects of the Conservative Resurgence, was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention. He served two terms (1998 – 2000). At the time he was also the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. In 2003, this Texan became president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he would serve out the rest of his career.

Whenever I thought about Paige Patterson retiring, I pictured him wearing his cowboy boots, donning a Stetson hat, and riding off into the sunset with his ‘helpmeet’ Dorothy.

However, these are unprecedented times in the Southern Baptist Convention.

Last week Patterson was ousted as president of SWBTS by seminary trustees and named president emeritus and pastor-in-residence of Southwestern Seminary.

On the same day that the trustees were contemplating Paige Patterson’s fate, they were made aware a situation that occurred while Patterson was SEBTS president. A woman contacted Wade Burleson and revealed that while she was a seminary student at SEBTS in 2003, she had been raped. Wade put her in touch with Sarah Pulliam, a religion news reporter at The Washington Post who who once worked for Christianity Today.

The Washington Post published this woman’s story on May 22 (the same day the SWBTS trustees were meeting). According to the Post article:

She said she had been dating the man she alleges raped her and had allowed him into her apartment the night she said he assaulted her. The two were kissing when he forced himself on her, she said. She said she reported it the next morning to the administrator who handled student discipline. That administrator then reported the incident to Patterson, she said, and she was required to meet with Patterson and three or four male seminarians she said were proteges of Patterson’s. She said she doesn’t remember the specific words Patterson used but that he wanted to know every detail of the rape.

Patterson and other administrators did not report the incident to the police, and she claims that Patterson encouraged her not to, as well, she said. The Post confirmed that a report was never filed with the Wake Forest Police Department.

The woman said she was put on probation for two years, but she doesn’t know why, saying it was perhaps because she was with another man alone in her apartment, which was against seminary policy.

“They shamed the crap out of me, asking me question after question,” said the woman, who attended the seminary until 2005 before dropping out for reasons she said were unrelated to the alleged incident. “He didn’t necessarily say it was my fault, but [the sense from him was] I let him into my home.”

The woman said she recalls Patterson telling her to forgive the man who allegedly raped her. The former roommate said the woman described the alleged assault to him shortly after it happened and later complained to him about her treatment by Patterson and seminary officials.

The Washington Post article ends with this stunner:

In a sermon he delivered in 2013, Patterson suggested women who have had “a problem in your home” should not bring their case to a judge because it could get in the way of that judge’s faith.

“Settle it within the church of God,” he said. “And if you suffer for it, and if you were misused, and if you were abused, and if you’re not represented properly, it’s okay. You can trust it to the God who judges justly.”

He prayed, “Lord, may we make up our minds that we won’t take our troubles to the press, we won’t take our troubles to the government, we won’t take our troubles anywhere except to the people of God and beyond that to the Lord Jesus.”

Apparently, this strategy had worked well for Paige Patterson UNTIL NOW…

Last night SWBTS trustees issued the following statement: (see screen shot below)

https://swbts.edu/news/releases/statement-southwestern-theological-seminary/

It is sending shock waves through the evangelical community.

Here is how Christianity Today broke the news:

A week after trustees voted to immediately shift Paige Patterson to “president emeritus” at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), the board’s executive committee has stripped the Southern Baptist stalwart of all “benefits, rights and privileges.”

In a statement announcing Patterson’s termination, the committee stated today that it had confirmed information regarding reports that he mishandled a sexual abuse allegation while president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS).

Last Tuesday, a former SEBTS graduate student told The Washington Post that after she reported her rape to Patterson and fellow seminary officials in 2003, they failed to notify authorities and the former president encouraged her to forgive the perpetrator.

The CT article goes on to name of the victim, who willingly came forward to reveal her identity.

As you might imagine, the secular world is also abuzz with this breaking news.

Truly, these are unprecedented times in both the secular and the Christian world.

Comments

Paige Patterson Stripped of ALL Retirement Perks – No President Emeritus Status, No Residential Privileges, No Ongoing Compensation — 171 Comments

  1. Wow. If ever the Baptists go back to being Baptist I might go back to being Baptist also.

    About dang time.

    With one caveat. This almost insures a calvinista type final takeover of the convention. God have mercy.

  2. “Wade put her in touch with Sarah Pulliam, a religion news reporter at The Washington Post who who once worked for Christianity Today.”

    Couldn’t Wade have pursued another route within SBC ranks, rather than the secular press?

  3. Max:
    “Wade put her in touch with Sarah Pulliam, a religion news reporter at The Washington Post who who once worked for Christianity Today.”

    Couldn’t Wade have pursued another route within SBC ranks, rather than the secular press?

    Was this a rhetorical question?
    Pursuing routes within the SBC sounds like an exercise in futility and further abuse.

  4. Max:
    “Whenever I thought about Paige Patterson retiring, I pictured him wearing his cowboy boots, donning a Stetson hat, and riding off into the sunset with his ‘helpmeet’ Dorothy.”

    I still imagine him sitting in his office in SEBTS with all those giant dead animal heads looking at me.

  5. refugee:
    Interesting name-dropping in the CT article. Moore. Burke. Lambert.

    Sorry. Burk, not Burke.
    And of course, it’s not the toxic theology that they, too, espouse. It was an isolated case of one man being abusive and not properly observing the right way for a man to “lead” and “protect” women.

  6. ishy: I still imagine him sitting in his office in SEBTS with all those giant dead animal heads looking at me.

    Wow! That’s going to be quite the yard sale!

  7. ishy: I still imagine him sitting in his office in SEBTS with all those giant dead animal heads looking at me.

    Kinda like sitting in the SWBTS Chapel with all the stain glass trophies looking at ya.

  8. refugee: Interesting name-dropping in the CT article. Moore. Burke. Lambert.

    Along with Greear and Akin! I repeat … I’m not a fan of Paige Patterson, but this New Calvinist piling on of him has a theo-political ring to it. The New Calvinists are not squeaky clean when it comes to the treatment of women – they abuse them by their doctrine weekly, subordinating them to lower class status in their kingdom. I’m hard pressed to find anyone within the SBC elite (either Calvinist or non-Calvinist) who are taking the high road on this sad situation. There’s undoubtedly an agenda attached to the New Calvinist response.

  9. From the OP:

    And if you suffer for it, and if you were misused, and if you were abused, and if you’re not represented properly, it’s okay. You can trust it to the God who judges justly.

    One might say that is exactly what happened in this latest development.

    Now, you might very well think that; of course, I couldn’t possibly comment.

  10. Max: Along with Greear and Akin!I repeat … I’m not a fan of Paige Patterson, but this New Calvinist piling on of him has a theo-political ring to it.The New Calvinists are not squeaky clean when it comes to the treatment of women – they abuse them by their doctrine weekly, subordinating them to lower class status in their kingdom.I’m hard pressed to find anyone within the SBC elite (either Calvinist or non-Calvinist) who are taking the high road on this sad situation.There’s undoubtedly an agenda attached to the New Calvinist response.

    I am very suspicious about the timing of all of this…

  11. Catherine Martin: As my former pastor used to say, “Your sin will find you out.”

    Take it to the bank! As my mother’s pastor (Adrian Rogers) used to say “You will reap what you sow, more than you sow, later than you sow.”

  12. Max,

    She is Russ Moore’s buddy. A few years ago, she wrote an article in the Washington Post about how us peasants need gatekeepers like her at WaPo to get our “real” news. Lol.

  13. Deb: I am very suspicious about the timing of all of this…

    Heck, even non-Calvinists at SBC-Dallas will now be tripping over each other to cast a vote for the charming J.D. Greear! While Dr. Hemphill, Greear’s opponent for SBC President, appears to be a straight-shooter, the Patterson scandal now taints the traditional wing of SBC. (Heck, y’all probably think ole Max is a dirty ole man, too!) The convention is ready for a change in leadership, but the average Southern Baptist (there are millions of non-Calvinist members) don’t fully realize what is heading their way as Calvinization sweeps through their denomination.

  14. linda: This almost insures a calvinista type final takeover of the convention.

    Election of J.D. Greear as SBC President will be icing on the cake for the New Calvinists. The Patterson, Pressler, and Page scandals came along just in time.

  15. Burwell: Now, you might very well think that; of course, I couldn’t possibly comment.

    At last! A fan of the British (1990s) version of House of Cards. Way better than the US imitation.

  16. My question-will PP actually leave? Or, will he sue to stay? This sounds like one for Lifetime Movies (not Hallmark-PP is not . nice enough for Hallmark).

  17. Rambler: But, he *IS* a Calvinist, isn’t he?

    Yes, Geisler calls himself a “moderate” Calvinist … which usually means a 4-point Calvinist who does not accept the reformed 5th point, limited atonement. R.C. Sproul used to say that there is no such an animal as a 4-point Calvinist because reformed logic says you must believe in limited atonement if you accept the other 4 points of systematic theology.

  18. Linn: My question-will PP actually leave? Or, will he sue to stay?

    Paige Patterson is a 76 year old warrior. A younger PP would have stood his ground ’til the last shot. He will move on, but leaving perhaps a few choice words in his dust.

  19. Beth74,

    Patterson wasn’t even the face of the non Calvinist SBC. Half the time he was cozying up to them. Heck, they were all in bed together with CBMW until a few years ago.

    I don’t think anything should be overlooked and that’s part of the bigger problem.

  20. drstevej: Calvinism scares Geisler.

    Geisler’s just as deluded as Patterson.
    This from his article:

    “Second, it was done to the wrong person. He did nothing worthy of being fired. No biblical grounds were given, let alone seriously considered. There are numerous Christian leaders who have committed sins worthy of discipline. Patterson is not one of them; he hasn’t committed any such sins. On the contrary, he has done many things worthy of exaltation. In fact, he is one of the top conservative Christian leaders of our day. Indeed, I have long contended that a bronze statue should be erected in his honor in Nashville. I still do.”

    Exaltation huh?
    Both men are so divorced from the course of human events and the reality of an eventual reckoning for the wrongs done to others, they think they can still hide behind the Bible and the flimsy armor of their own idiocy.

    I’ve often said that Karma and her sister Comeuppance are relentless, and that they don’t rest until Themis’ balances are rest.
    This whole sordid imbroglio is proving my point.

  21. Geisler is a strong proponent of inerrancy and a strong opponent of Augustinian/Calvinist apologetics. He and I have discussed this years ago. This would incline him to side with Patterson doctrinally.

    What appalls me is that Geisler ignores the ethics that are being trampled on by Patterson.

  22. Max,

    The secular press, or press as I would call them, has recently been doing a fantastic job exposing the sexual abuse women have been subjected to. Fortunately, they have done a much better job than the church.

  23. Linn:
    My question-will PP actually leave? Or, will he sue to stay? This sounds like one for Lifetime Movies (not Hallmark-PP is not . nice enough for Hallmark).

    It would be the height of irony, or hypocrisy, for an appeal of the May 30 SWBTS trustees’ decisoin to be taken to secular courts. Surely this is something that should be kept within the people of God, and trusted to God who judges justly.

    Just sayin’

  24. Lydia: A few years ago, she wrote an article in the Washington Post about how us peasants need gatekeepers like her at WaPo to get our “real” news

    Well, that is somewhat true seeing how the church has such a poor record of listening to women and taking action about what they have been told. 🙁

  25. Eeyore: we have a blogpost complaining about how unfair it is for non-Christians to accuse Christians of hypocrisy… penned by none other than Mark Driscoll himself.

    That’s because Mark Driscoll can’t stand to be called out by anyone Christian, much less a non Christian. He thinks too highly of himself.

  26. I said it on Wade’s blog; I said it on Pravda; so, you’d better doggone believe I’ll say it on TWW!!!
    PP is a criminal. He protected men who committed crimes (don’t forget Gilyard). He is guilty of being an accessory after the fact, at the very least!

    Do ya think there are more men like him in the SBC??? Maybe some YRRs????? C. J. Mahaney???

  27. “Whenever I thought about Paige Patterson retiring, I pictured him wearing his cowboy boots, donning a Stetson hat, and riding off into the sunset with his ‘helpmeet’ Dorothy.”

    With Dorothy riding side-saddle?

  28. Bridget,

    Agreed. It’s just sad that denominational and church leaders, within SBC and elsewhere, are not dealing with sexual abuse as they ought. God has a history of using the enemies of the church to correct it … that includes the secular press which is always looking for an opportunity to proclaim “See, there’s nothing to it!” At this point, the SBC is quickly becoming a byword and a reproach in the world. The ole boys are fading away, but the whippersnappers replacing them don’t offer to be much better. A once-great evangelistic denomination is dying. It’s been painful to watch.

  29. Max:

    Couldn’t Wade have pursued another route within SBC ranks, rather than the secular press?

    He thought about doing it on his blog but realized it would be better for a trained journalist to do it since there are potential legal pitfalls involved.

  30. Max: Couldn’t Wade have pursued another route within SBC ranks, rather than the secular press?

    Sadly, that is exactly what Hybel’s gang at WCC said. The cat is out of the bag, and smart people will not be pressured into keeping ‘trouble’ in house. If church leaders abuse people, misappropriate authority or break the law, the pew’s only hope for justice is to make it known publicly.

  31. Max: The New Calvinists are not squeaky clean when it comes to the treatment of women – they abuse them by their doctrine weekly,

    refugee: Interesting name-dropping in the CT article. Moore. Burke. Lambert.

    Yes! SWBTS’ (Statement) might “grieve for,” “denounce,” and “pray for individuals wounded by abuse.” But none of those actions include repentance. So, as I see it, PP crossed the SBC line because the abuse was of a (criminal) sexual nature. But SWBTS leaders choose to overlook all other reported abusive and misogynist actions over many years?

    Let’s begin with that firing of Prof Sheri Klouda years ago “because she was a woman.” That was a clue there was much more to come. But apparently SWBTS Board thought her firing was okay because it was, well, “biblical.” And now restated yesterday as “. . . biblically informed core values” and “. . . biblically educating God-called men and women.”

    Uh-oh.

    (And thank you, Wade Burleson, for supporting Prof Klouda those many years ago.)

  32. I honestly don’t feel sorry for his wife unless all info was withheld from her. Which I doubt.

  33. Since Patterson is gone, maybe that Such a Time as Now group can call for the ousting of Matt Chandler and Al Mohler, and anyone else we can think of who has covered up abuse or displayed poor judgement towards those who have been abused. There really are plenty of them. Let’s clean house!

  34. Even if SBC and other churches somehow universally put into place proper procedures for reporting and responding to sexual abuse claims, that will not be enough to end religious abuse and oppression.

    Where is the necessary ‘protection’ from spiritual abuse – the unlawful and inappropriate manipulation and control of individuals by their so-called ‘leaders’, i.e., pastors, elders and husbands? What happens when an individual approaches an elder with a concern, perhaps a disagreement with decisions or methods approved by the ‘ruling elders’? How often are those concerns granted genuine legitimacy? How can such concerns possibly be objectively considered by the very ones whose decisions or actions are being questioned? Are they then brought before the larger congregation for open discussion, or swept aside as ‘illegitimate’, often followed by ‘discipline’ or excommunication for ‘questionable doctrine’, i.e., refusing to submit to the ‘authority’ of the ‘ruling elders’? The same exact quandary exists in homes in which husbands ‘rule’ over wives and children.

    I speak from experience, although at the time I perceived my problem as unique, local and addressable. I respected and trusted the people involved, and had not the slightest doubt that my concerns would be taken seriously and addressed with integrity. I had no inkling of the systemic nature of spiritual abuse by ‘Church leaders’ that crosses all belief systems and denominations.

    It is not a Catholic problem, although systemic sexual abuse was first exposed in their fold. Nor is it simply a few bad apples in the SBC, which has been the training ground for authoritarian, oppressive power structures within the evangelical world for at least half a cenury. It is not the upstart Calvinists, although they appear to be the newest torchbearers in the never-ending battle for ‘orthodoxy’, which simply translates into ‘keeping control’. They are firmly in place under Albert Mohler, et al., ready to assume complete control of the once non-Calvinist SBC.

    The abusive, hierarchical, authoritarian structure of ‘The Church’ has been in place since Constantine first established Christianity as the official religion of the state. Scholars have long recognized the political power play this was, with few putting much weight in Constantine’s supposed ‘conversion’.

    From the earliest Anabaptists to more recent house churches, sincere believers have struggled to escape from the totalitarian dictates of Religious ‘Rulers’ who claimed the authority to dictate and defend ‘Truth’ by proclamation and by force. When the people demanded an end to religious establishment by sword and stake, the Institutional Church was left with only manipulation to retain control over the masses. That is where we remain at this late date.

    The Baptist belief and tradition of freedom of conscience was subtly replaced by Creedalism, put in place by the architects of the Conservative Resurgence, supposedly in a battle against liberalism and the Culture War. Along with this power grab came the reintroduction of misogyny, as women were put firmly in their supposed place according to the supposed design of the Creator. This institutionalized misogyny, called ‘complementarianism’ is the poisonous root from which the oppression and abuse of wives and children sprang, as men were granted nearly king-like power to run their homes and rule over their subordinate wives and children. Brains washed and egos inflated, once decent and loving men were taught to silence the much needed input of their wives with a well-placed ‘Are you going to do as I ask, or continue to disobey God’s command to submit to my authority?’ This subtle but soul-killing oppression is practiced by countless ‘godly’ men who would not dream of lifting a hand against their wife or child.

  35. BJ: Since Patterson is gone, maybe that Such a Time as Now group can call for the ousting of Matt Chandler and Al Mohler, and anyone else we can think of who has covered up abuse or displayed poor judgement towards those who have been abused.

    Ain’t going to happen. Those are folks in the ruling SBC party – the New Calvinists are controlling the narrative right now. Haven’t you noticed? Those boys are all of a sudden appearing to be the most loving bunch around, protectors of women and children against those nasty ole men in the other SBC camp.

  36. I saw this man falling last week so this comes as no surprise. I also saw the two men who are competing for the title of SBC President climbing up a wall to the seat of kingly control. They were close to each other and playing fair until the one on the left, which was ahead of the other, slipped and grabbed the left leg of the other in order to keep from falling out of the race altogether, pulling him down a couple of notches before they both caught themselves. Then the one on the right became more concerned with moving farther to the right than in reaching the chair. He distanced himself from the other man to get away from him by moving as far to the right as possible. I am not sure who is on the left or right currently. I do expect things to change before the time comes to elect one of them.

  37. I am glad such people are being rooted out, but I also find the timing interesting to say the least. I try not to be a conspiracy theorist, but it’s about 60/40 in my mind that the Neo-Cals are taking advantage of the situation vs actually orchestrating the timing.

    Especially as it all seemed to go from zero to 60 as soon as the “chosen one” Greear was faced with a Trad opponent. If one is conspiracy minded, the father of the CR (Patterson), the main leader of opposition to Greear (R. Patrick), and the old boys network of Trads has been eliminated in a sweeping stroke. If they Neos Cals are simply smelling blood in the water and pouncing, it’s still amazingly swift.

    However, typically the sword swings more than one direction when striking down in punishment. More to come, I’m sure.

  38. truthseeker00: the upstart Calvinists … the newest torchbearers in the never-ending battle for ‘orthodoxy’, which simply translates into ‘keeping control’. They are firmly in place under Albert Mohler, et al., ready to assume complete control of the once non-Calvinist SBC.

    For non-SBC TWW readers, it’s important to note that the SBC was non-Calvinist in belief and practice for 150 years before the New Calvinists showed up. Granted, there were Calvinists in the founding group of the SBC prior to the Civil War; slave-holding pastors and deacons were in their number. They thought sovereign God was on their side in the War, until early Confederate victories turned to defeat. After the War, Southern Baptists distanced themselves from that theology … until Al Mohler launched his rebellion to take the denomination back to its Calvinistic roots without asking millions of non-Calvinist Southern Baptists what they thought about that.

  39. Rambler: I try not to be a conspiracy theorist, but it’s about 60/40 in my mind that the Neo-Cals are taking advantage of the situation vs actually orchestrating the timing.

    I’ve been accused of spreading SBC conspiracy theories for years … but darn it, the New Calvinists are giving us so much evidence to turn the theories into fact!

  40. Regarding the appropriateness of a believer accusing another believer, in the press:

    A minister DOES NOT have a right OF ANY KIND to private confrontation. This error is behind every use of Mathew 18, by ministers facing unwanted exposure.

    Galatians 2:11-14 is the precident of confronting a minister before all. All means all.

    Wade Burleson is well within his purogitive in deciding how he brings public accusations.

  41. PRAISE GOD! I was a earning my master’s in marriage and counseling at SWBTS when the great Ken Hemphill was let got (it’s rumored the locks were actually changed during chapel, or something like that), so that Paige Patterson could be ushered in. Things quickly changed at SWBTS (including basically gutting the nation’s greatest counseling program). Thank you to the trustees for finally doing the right thing, but why you hired him in the first place, I never really will understand. I could go on and on about my time at SWBTS. They were some of the best years of my life, and getting to daily sit in classes under some amazing professors was an enormous blessing, but sadly, my eyes sadly were opened to the fact that just because someone attends or teaches at, (or even leads a seminary), it doesn’t automatically mean that they are there with the purspose of showing the love of Jesus to others…..(example to follow.)

  42. Part two: in my second year of seminary, I was newly married and befriended a lady who also was newly married and worked in the cafeteria where I ate lunch two or three times a week. One day she asked me, “What is this place anyway?” Of course I was astonished that she had been working at one of the world’s largest (and at the time one of the world’s best) seminaries for at least a few months at this point, yet she wasn’t aware? To sum it up, one of my most unexpected Gospel-sharing opportunities of all time occurred on the campus of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

  43. Allison: I was a earning my master’s in marriage and counseling at SWBTS when the great Ken Hemphill was let got (it’s rumored the locks were actually changed during chapel, or something like that), so that Paige Patterson could be ushered in.

    Actually, that was Dr. Russell Dilday, not Ken Hemphill. Hemphill served as interim president after Dr. Dilday was fired – a direct consequence of the Conservative Resurgence. A good man, Dilday was treated badly. Patterson replaced Dilday. Hemphill was not let go; he masterfully fulfilled his tenure during troubled times at SWBTS as interim until Patterson was hired.

  44. A totally unimportant aside: re 4 pt cavinism. I’ve had pastors who tossed the u in the tulip aside, believe election was according to foreknowledge. One thought it was knowledge of who would choose Jesus given the right circumstances, but not all thought that. A couple would just say “we don’t know what He foreknew” and leave it there.

  45. linda,

    There is a great place for people who are historically Baptist. The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship is a home to many former SBCers who just couldn’t tolerate it any longer. CBF acknowledges that God calls men and women alike, still adheres to the Priesthood of the Believer, and holds true to historic Baptist beliefs like separation of church and state. Many former missionaries from the SBC have found their home in CBF and it’s a place of rest for many who were burned by the SBC.

  46. Good for Pastor Burleson. He knows exactly how SBC folks would handle it; therefore, rejected the idea of recommending that the victim take the SBC route.

  47. Max: Actually, that was Dr. Russell Dilday, not Ken Hemphill. Hemphill served as interim president after Dr. Dilday was fired – a direct consequence of the Conservative Resurgence. A good man, Dilday was treated badly. Patterson replaced Dilday.

    Fascinating story. And it was picked up by the New York Times back in 1994. Thanks, Max and Allison, for this background.
    https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/11/us/baptists-dismiss-seminary-head-in-surprise-move.html

  48. Max,

    Interesting about Dilday-thanks for the info! I never knew about him, but I will try to read up on this later! I did just do a quick Google search, and I t looks like Hemphill was elected in 1994, was let go in 2003, and so 9 years seems like a long time to be an interim?? Have I misread, or is there an error in the article I listed below? BTW I thought Hemphill was also a great man, and he had a passion for seeing the Kingdom grow. His love for students and people in general seemed evident. I am 100% “Sola Scriptura”, but without love, all that Biblical knowledge is but a resounding gong. I myself was a seminary graduate who for many years knew that I was saved by graces but I was yet to find out what it means to walk in grace. It’s a perpetual problem amongst Christians. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/local/1994/08/06/new-leader-hopes-to-bring-healing-to-southwestern/ef11de23-69c5-4208-a461-e985cf194f72/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.a356360f521a

  49. From the Russell H. Dilday page on Wikipedia:

    Dilday described the [Southern Baptist conservative] resurgence as having fragmented Southern Baptist fellowship and as being “far more serious than a controversy”.[2] Dilday described it as being “a self-destructive, contentious, one-sided feud that at times took on combative characteristics”. Since 1979, Southern Baptists had become polarized into two major groups: moderates and conservatives.

  50. Max,

    Dilday served from 1978 to 1994, when he was dismissed.
    Hemphill served from 1994 to 2003, when he was replaced by Patterson.
    I’d say Hemphill at 9 years tenure was more than an interim president.

  51. Geisler also gave his full support to Ergun Caner, the ousted former president of Liberty, despite mountains of evidence proving Caner was a highly skilled liar. Low discernment level there.

  52. ___

    “What a 501c3 churchworld?…”

    hmmm…

    Who would have thought a little girl could destroy this much wickedness.
    – –

  53. Max: A once-great evangelistic denomination is dying. It’s been painful to watch.

    I’m sure it is difficult to watch. I’ve never been involved with Baptists, so it’s just watching more of the same evil in the church.

  54. Lydia,

    At least in this case she got the story to a wider audience. More than the church does, imo. We see it differently I guess.

  55. Raswhiting: Dilday served from 1978 to 1994, when he was dismissed.

    So they basically changed the locks on a guy who was there for 15 years? Was this only about the CR (and I completely agree with his remarks about it too).

  56. Lea: “Second, it was done to the wrong person. He did nothing worthy of being fired.No biblical grounds were given, let alone seriously considered. ”

    NOPE. That’s about as far as I’m going to go, thanks. This guy doesn’t get it.

    Agree! He doesn’t.

    Excellent blog post today at Christians for Biblical Equality on abuse.
    .
    https://www.cbeinternational.org/blogs/6-principles-guarding-churches-against-predators

    Excerpts:
    “We’ve kept fairly quiet on the topic of abuse over the years. We’ve been sloppy with grace, ignorant of what it means to do justly, and emotionally disconnected from the consequences.”

    “Churches that preach and commend female submission can be nesting areas for predatory behavior because girls learn to trust and obey men at a young age.”

    “Patriarchy enables male abusers by granting them a dangerous amount of power over women and by training women and girls to trust male leadership.”

    “It’s easier to explain away each instance of abuse than it is to admit we have a problem—a problem in our culture; a problem in our relationships; a problem in our theology. . . . We’ve been conned and we’ve allowed it to happen.”

  57. Max: Notice how she is looking up to him … and he down to her.

    Notice how the bio she has written next to that picture says, “I owe my graduate education to my husband’s encouragement and determination to put me through these programs in order that I could be a better helper to him,”

  58. I wish I could believe they did the right thing for the sake of doing the right thing but I suspect it was convenient for them to turn against Patterson.

    There are no good guys here. It’s competing agendas.

    It seems everyone is a doctor as well.

  59. Max,

    You can’t really be serious. Apparently there are no places in the SBC where coverups can be avoided. In many cases we’ve seen closed ranks to defend the accussed.

  60. ishy,

    Ha! I receive the SWBTS alum magazine, and when the seminary turned 100 years old, I was sent a commemorative type publishing. Maybe I just dreamed it, but I think I remember a picture in one of the first several pages of him on a horse in front of Truett Auditorium, and likely dressed like a cowboy. We’re getting ready to move and I JUST threw that thing away less than three weeks ago!!!!

  61. Max: Ain’t going to happen.Those are folks in the ruling SBC party – the New Calvinists are controlling the narrative right now.Haven’t you noticed?Those boys are all of a sudden appearing to be the most loving bunch around, protectors of women and children against those nasty ole men in the other SBC camp.

    Dantonists and Hebertists,
    Jacobins and Dantonists,
    Stalinists and Trotskyites…

  62. There is a power grab going on in the SBC right now. Calvinists are being appointed to highly influential positions…

  63. Nancy2 (aka Kevlar):
    “Whenever I thought about Paige Patterson retiring, I pictured him wearing his cowboy boots, donning a Stetson hat, and riding off into the sunset with his ‘helpmeet’ Dorothy.”

    With Dorothy riding side-saddle?

    Or Dorothy wearing the saddle?

  64. Leslie Puryear: Apparently there are no places in the SBC where coverups can be avoided. In many cases we’ve seen closed ranks to defend the accussed.

    Then there is no accountability system in place within SBC to deal with bad actors, until the potato gets too hot to handle. Even Patterson, after all the revelations, had faithful trustees supporting him to the bitter end. Mohler is untouchable for that same reason; adoring trustees look the other way (e.g., the C.J. Mahaney mess). The annual SBC meeting is becoming a joke … why have it? Just give the SBC keys to Mohler and get it over with!

  65. Allison: Maybe I just dreamed it, but I think I remember a picture in one of the first several pages of him on a horse in front of Truett Auditorium, and likely dressed like a cowboy.

    John Wayne Syndrome?

  66. Raswhiting:
    Max,

    Dilday served from 1978 to 1994, when he was dismissed.
    Hemphill served from 1994 to 2003, when he was replaced by Patterson.
    I’d say Hemphill at 9 years tenure was more than an interim president.

    Sorry, you are quite correct. My aging memory got those folks crossed up a bit.

  67. Max:
    Bridget,
    A once-great evangelistic denomination is dying.It’s been painful to watch.

    Max, I am not so sure it shouldn’t die. It’s not fulfilling the need. And I have no explanation as how to save it. If Christ looked at most of the SBC today he would say ” I never knew you.”

  68. Allison,

    Sorry Allison. You are correct. I was confused about the Dilday vs. Hemphill tenures at SWBTS. Yes, they are both great men.

  69. Max: My aging memory got those folks crossed up a bit.

    Your memory does that too? 🙂 I find that as I get older, my memory is the second thing to go. I can’t seem to remember the first thing 🙂

  70. L Alexander: Good for Pastor Burleson. He knows exactly how SBC folks would handle it; therefore, rejected the idea of recommending that the victim take the SBC route.

    After considering the potential routes Wade could have taken within SBC, I now concur that they would have most likely led to dead-ends and cover-ups. This whole thing has been so upsetting, I am not thinking clearly. I should give the blogosphere a break from my comments.

  71. roebuck: Your memory does that too? I find that as I get older, my memory is the second thing to go. I can’t seem to remember the first thing

    As long as you remember the 2nd thing! (Love thy neighbor as thyself) 😉

  72. Beth74: As long as you remember the 2nd thing! (Love thy neighbor as thyself)

    1st, 2nd, and 3rd thing – thanks for the reminder!

  73. Max,

    I AM SORRY. THIS IS A BIT NAIVE. I WOULDN’T ENTRUST THE SBC WITH THIS INFORMATION. TO GET TO THE TRUTH AND HAVE IT PUBLISHED, GO TO THE SECULAR. I AM SORRY IT HAS TO BE THAT WAY, BUT THE SBC LEADERSHIP HAS COVERED UP ENOUGH: CALVINIST AND NON. BELIEVE ME, C J MAHANEY STILL NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH. I HOPE HIS TIME IS COMING.

  74. Max,

    Thank you for pointing that out. When Al Mohler issued his statement last week, all I could think of was how his tactics for purging Southern Seminary were very much like Patterson’s–and how Mohler and Moore both demean and denigrate women through their similar brand of hyper-complementarian theology. It’s great they’ve made progress on race and social justice issues; it’s time for them to make the same progress on gender.

    But back to SWBTS: Will they now give Sheri Klouda her job back?!

    As for Cedarville University, where Patterson’s protege Thomas White is president, the alumni petition has topped 1300, White issued a statement last night on his own blog distancing himself from PP (but not condemning PP), and PP still sits on CU’s Board of Trustees as of today. There’s been no Board meeting, no Board statement, no Board action. Cedarville University may be worse than SWBTS at this point–at best, they’re asleep at the wheel.

  75. Ergun Caner was not the president of Liberty. I think you mean dean.

    anon in the EFCA:
    Geisler also gave his full support to Ergun Caner, the ousted former president of Liberty, despite mountains of evidence proving Caner was a highly skilled liar. Low discernment level there.

  76. Where is the alumni petition located? It took awhile to no longer see the name of an ABWE president listed as a trustee. I don’t know if he finally resigned or was removed. And, the the title of one of the trustees is listed incorrectly, and has been for many months. Now if they can just get rid of the guns on campus. Curious, why is White called Patterson’s protege?

    TimesUp:
    Max,

    Thank you for pointing that out. When Al Mohler issued his statement last week, all I could think of was how his tactics for purging Southern Seminary were very much like Patterson’s–and how Mohler and Moore both demean and denigrate women through their similar brand of hyper-complementarian theology. It’s great they’ve made progress on race and social justice issues; it’s time for them to make the same progress on gender.

    But back to SWBTS: Will they now give Sheri Klouda her job back?!

    As for Cedarville University, where Patterson’s protege Thomas White is president, the alumni petition has topped 1300, White issued a statement last night on his own blog distancing himself from PP (but not condemning PP), and PP still sits on CU’s Board of Trustees as of today. There’s been no Board meeting, no Board statement, no Board action. Cedarville University may be worse than SWBTS at this point–at best, they’re asleep at the wheel.

  77. Finegold: THIS IS A BIT NAIVE.

    Yeah, I suppose. I guess I was still holding out hope that somebody, some entity, up the ladder would still be able to do the right thing. I guess those days really are over in SBC life.

  78. DebWill: Let’s begin with that firing of Prof Sheri Klouda years ago “because she was a woman.”

    That was my question. They ousted PP. Now, are they going to hire back the highly qualified women professors they fired? There’s a lot more work to do.

  79. Max: After considering the potential routes Wade could have taken within SBC, I now concur that they would have most likely led to dead-ends and cover-ups.

    Didn’t it take the Chicago Tribune to uncover standing-ovationed Hybels’ trickery and take the ladies seriously?

    Wasn’t it the NYT video of Jules Woodson that dealt the final blow to standing-ovationed Savage?

    The fake leaders set up their loyal dynasties that enable undercover evil masquerading as the good guy (church ruse). The emperor has no clothes. It takes a wider audience outside their kingdoms to get beyond the loyalty culture.

    Surely there is psychology behind this, however, not an expert here.

  80. Interesting post on Burleson’s blog:

    RB Kuter said…

    Wade’s blog post on JD is interesting and true. But I say again, the problem with the Southern Baptist Convention is NOT its chauvinistic position regarding women. The problem with the Southern Baptist Convention is the rottenness of its core; the corruption, the cronyism, the deceit, hidden agendas, abuse of the trust of its constituency, its arrogance, pride, power craving, control addict, leaders who manipulate the structure to achieve their agenda. THAT is what our problem is. WOMEN are collateral damage resulting from the corrupt system that is in place.

    I think Wade is pretty much saying the same thing. Perhaps the only difference between his thoughts and mine are that I do not believe any statement from those Paige-boys in control regarding women’s role in ministry will reflect a change of heart. If the SBC President says tomorrow, “Women can be pastors and teach with authority over men if they feel called by God to do so.”, it would not matter. The system would remain corrupt. A President making such a statement would no doubt be saying that due to the pressure of the moment coming from the masses; similar to the SWBTS Trustees today.

    ANY person seriously considered as President of the SBC has been vetted and approved by the powers that be. That should be obvious to us all. JD, Ken, have both been approved but JD passed it by last time, no doubt with the assurance that he will be rewarded if he waits for the next time, which is this year’s election.

    Unless the SBC masses miraculously put an “outsider” into the position of President, someone NOT approved by the “Paige-boys” currently running the show, nothing will change.

    Emplacement of such an “outsider” would require an act of God. But God may have already given up on us.

    Thu May 31, 07:34:00 PM 2018

  81. drstevej: What appalls me is that Geisler ignores the ethics that are being trampled on by Patterson.

    Ethics mean little to men who must uphold an ideological belief system based on inflexible rules, mores, and precepts.

    Whether the belief system is theological and derived from Holy Writ, or garden variety secular movements such as Marxism and National Socialism, only the end result is important, people are expendable.

    Novelist James A. Michener dwells at length on this dynamic in his work The Source

  82. Beth74: “The problem with the Southern Baptist Convention is the rottenness of its core; the corruption, the cronyism, the deceit, hidden agendas, abuse of the trust of its constituency, its arrogance, pride, power craving, control addict, leaders who manipulate the structure to achieve their agenda.” (RB Kuter)

    I’d say that pretty well covers it! There is a systemic problem on both sides of the SBC fence. Both Non-Calvinist and New-Calvinist operate in an arena that has little Christlike character to it. These agendas of men are not birthed in prayer and unity; there is no holy stamp of approval on much of anything in SBC these days.

  83. Deb: There is a power grab going on in the SBC right now. Calvinists are being appointed to highly influential positions…

    A perfect firestorm for a complete takeover.

    One bad leader being fired isn’t going to fix the lack of respect for women in Baptist world either I’m afraid. It might be a start. But only time will tell.

  84. To those who love, love, love the SBC….I present to you, Christ. I really think He can lead His church in victory and there’s a real strong possibility He will do it better than the SBC.

    Can we not just look to Christ?

  85. jyjames,

    I think the only psychology in play here is that the secular world will actually call evil for what it is. The “religious leaders” always seem to err on the side of “reconciliation or forgiveness” which then equates to not holding people accountable for their actions or words.

  86. Did not the Neo Cal pseudo leader, the Piped Piper, himself say that wives should stay in abusive relationships? Why hasn’t the firestorm consumed him??

  87. Augustine: Can we not just look to Christ?

    Great idea. I’m all for it.
    So just how does that play out?
    Remembering of course that the devil is always in the details.

  88. Brother Maynard: the secular world will actually call evil for what it is

    There are Christians in the secular world who understand, for example, sexual harassment at work, mandatory reporting of abuse and neglect, domestic violence and how a wife ends up dead. Serious stuff that the church doesn’t take seriously; not so much, anyway.

    Somewhere the church lost its way in this regard, creating an actual shelter for evil.

  89. Jeffrey Chalmers: Did not the Neo Cal pseudo leader, the Piped Piper, himself say that wives should stay in abusive relationships? Why hasn’t the firestorm consumed him??

    Great question! I’ve wondered the same myself.

  90. Jojo,

    The CU Alumni petition can be found here, complete with many alumni comments, some claiming similar cover-ups have happened at CU, as happened at SEBTS, and claiming a similar misogynist culture exists at CU since White became President: https://www.change.org/p/cedarville-university-board-of-trustees-and-dr-thomas-white-a-call-for-the-removal-of-paige-patterson-from-the-cedarville-university-board-of-trustees

    When White became CU’s President, Paige Patterson gushed about him, calling him one of his best proteges ever. White, as President, has often boasted about his close relationship with Patterson, calling him his mentor, his very close friend, his second father, etc. Thus the reason for the word choice used above. White was apparently not one of the proteges/seminarians in the room with Megan Lively when Patterson told her not to report the rape.

    However, White’s blog response last night uses curious wording in regards to his role as the Director of Student Life at the time of the rape (he held that job from 2001-2004) at SEBTS. He says he “didn’t handle that matter,” but he does not say he didn’t know about it. We all know by now that PP handled the matter, so White is technically being truthful, of course. But his wording has many at CU wondering. How could the Director of Student Life *not* have known about it at all?

    In addition, the vast majority of White’s blog response addresses Title IX mandates, which CU must follow because it does accept federal funding. As most of us know, that’s not the case at SEBTS; I don’t think it was the case in 2003 either (do correct me if I’m wrong, though). So White’s going on ad infinitum about obeying Title IX at CU is curious. Perhaps, he wants to assure parents. Certainly, that would make sense. Perhaps, he wants to distract readers from what he may have known and did not report himself at SEBTS about the rape, however. As Lively has said, “other administrators” (plural) besides PP did not report the rape. Yet, the proteges/seminarians in the room weren’t administrators, apparently. So it does pose the question: What other administrators knew about it and did nothing? (We, of course, may never know.)

    In any case, sorry to go on so long. The petition link is above, which you asked for. If you’d like to see White’s long blog response, which he posted yesterday,, here’s that link, too:

    https://www.drthomaswhite.com/2018/05/30/responding-to-abuse/

    And again, so far, CU’s Board of Trustees has said nothing and done nothing. PP is still on the Board, as of today.

  91. Jeffrey Chalmers: Did not the Neo Cal pseudo leader, the Piped Piper, himself say that wives should stay in abusive relationships? Why hasn’t the firestorm consumed him??

    “If it’s not requiring her to sin, but simply hurting her, then I think she endures verbal abuse for a season, she endures perhaps being smacked one night, and then she seeks help from the church.” (John Piper)

  92. Jeffrey Chalmers:
    Did not the Neo Cal pseudo leader, the Piped Piper, himself say that wives should stay in abusive relationships?Why hasn’t the firestorm consumed him??

    He has retired already, hasn’t he?

    And I think a lot of the secular people I know think Piper is a cuckoo with no following. I agree he’s cuckoo, but I think he has a lot more followers than people realize.

  93. He has the much more savvy Neo-Cals and Mohler to watch out for him. Grandpa Piper may be a bit off his rocker, but he’s still loved.

  94. Muff Potter,

    Many, like Piper and Dever, are remaining rather quiet in the midst of the storm that’s raging. I am hoping they are in a time of deep reflection and soul searching, coming, “low before God” as Andrew Murray once said.

    I’m trying to remember that virtue myself.

  95. jyjames,

    That’s the sad part right there. Stop coddling abusers and start acting like adults. Its sin, it has to be dealt with and not by telling the abused to “endure it for a time” or to “forgive and reconcile ” with them. Report it to the proper authorities and support the victim. It’s not that hard. I’ve been the one standing up for the abused in more than one church and had to fight to get things taken seriously by leadership. It pisses me off to no end.

  96. Women who are in a partnership marriage need to use their influence and vote with their wallets and their feet( out the door). That is what my husband and I have done. Almost nine years without a home church. It does feel weird every Sunday to stay home after almost 40years of not only regular attendance, but Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night, Wednesday morning Bible study, etc,etc. it isn’t as bad as coming home from church every Sunday feeling angry.. that is why we are “dones”. We occasionally fellowship with other “dones” and talk about doing a weekly informal bible study/fellowship.

  97. Max: Teeth?

    Indeed Max. The writer of Ecclesiastes commiserates:

    “In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened,…”

  98. Augustine: Many, like Piper and Dever, are remaining rather quiet in the midst of the storm that’s raging. I am hoping they are in a time of deep reflection and soul searching, coming, “low before God” as Andrew Murray once said.

    LOL!
    I’m hoping to win the lottery without purchasing a ticket. Which do you figure is more likely to happen?

  99. Augustine: Many, like Piper and Dever, are remaining rather quiet in the midst of the storm that’s raging. I am hoping they are in a time of deep reflection and soul searching, coming, “low before God” as Andrew Murray once said.

    If you really believe that, I’ve got a bridge in Brooklyn I can sell you.

  100. __

    Huff-Duff: “Searching Out Enabled/Enabler 501c3 Wickedness, Perhaps?

    hmmm…

    Finegold,

    Parenthetically, Right Reverend C.J. Mahaney, who is well known nationally for harboring and enabling pedophiles and has a history of consistently bribing national religious leaders, has been identified for his wickedness. Those who harbor and aid him have been identified as well. These men have placed a five hundred year old Calvinistic religious theological system above and beyond a simple divine command to love your neighbor as yourself. These proverbial tares will have their day of justice. What do you think the Lord is doing with these self-styled, self-millstone-laden individuals and their great wickedness? Ignoring it?

    huh?

    hahahahahahaha

    SKreeeeeeetch!

    (gump)

    I would not want to be in ‘their’ shoes.

    ♪♩♪♩ hum, hum, hum .. “A mighty fortress is our God…

    (grin)

    ATB

    Sòpy

    Warttube ™ : https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Iss9xKyqAeA

    ;~)

    – –

  101. He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. The tactics used by Patterson are now being used by others against him, it seems. So the cycle goes. His own actions have given his opponents all the ammunition they need. I am glad to be watching all of this from the outside, without a stake in any of it. It feels so free. S

  102. refugee: And of course, it’s not the toxic theology that they, too, espouse. It was an isolated case of one man being abusive and not properly observing the right way for a man to “lead” and “protect” women.

    If you believe John Piper, the abusive man must simply not have been taught about his special duty of care toward women. Which is the fault of egalitarian thought.

  103. Thank you for both of those links and for your informative reply. I hardly know my alma mater any more.

    TimesUp:
    Jojo,

    The CU Alumni petition can be found here, complete with many alumni comments, some claiming similar cover-ups have happened at CU, as happened at SEBTS, and claiming a similar misogynist culture exists at CU since White became President: https://www.change.org/p/cedarville-university-board-of-trustees-and-dr-thomas-white-a-call-for-the-removal-of-paige-patterson-from-the-cedarville-university-board-of-trustees

    When White became CU’s President, Paige Patterson gushed about him, calling him one of his best proteges ever. White, as President, has often boasted about his close relationship with Patterson, calling him his mentor, his very close friend, his second father, etc. Thus the reason for the word choice used above. White was apparently not one of the proteges/seminarians in the room with Megan Lively when Patterson told her not to report the rape.

    However, White’s blog response last night uses curious wording in regards to his role as the Director of Student Life at the time of the rape (he held that job from 2001-2004) at SEBTS. He says he “didn’t handle that matter,” but he does not say he didn’t know about it. We all know by now that PP handled the matter, so White is technically being truthful, of course. But his wording has many at CU wondering. How could the Director of Student Life *not* have known about it at all?

    In addition, the vast majority of White’s blog response addresses Title IX mandates, which CU must follow because it does accept federal funding. As most of us know, that’s not the case at SEBTS; I don’t think it was the case in 2003 either (do correct me if I’m wrong, though). So White’s going on ad infinitum about obeying Title IX at CU is curious. Perhaps, he wants to assure parents. Certainly, that would make sense. Perhaps, he wants to distract readers from what he may have known and did not report himself at SEBTS about the rape, however. As Lively has said, “other administrators” (plural) besides PP did not report the rape. Yet, the proteges/seminarians in the room weren’t administrators, apparently. So it does pose the question: What other administrators knew about it and did nothing? (We, of course, may never know.)

    In any case, sorry to go on so long. The petition link is above, which you asked for. If you’d like to see White’s long blog response, which he posted yesterday,, here’s that link, too:

    https://www.drthomaswhite.com/2018/05/30/responding-to-abuse/

    And again, so far, CU’s Board of Trustees has said nothing and done nothing. PP is still on the Board, as of today.

  104. SiteSeer: He who lives by the sword dies by the sword. The tactics used by Patterson are now being used by others against him, it seems.

    So it seems. As though it was being orchestrated by… dare we say it, God himself. And for what purpose would the Almighty allow this man to experience the exact humiliation he caused others? For repentance. The Creator cares a whole lot less than we do about the things of this earth. He appears to value greatly a heart turned humbly toward him. Like the tender hearts of Megan Lively and her husband who forgave Mr. Patterson last weekend with no apology given. I understand they are reaping much joy this week. When I read Megan’s post on Facebook I too shouted for joy.

  105. NJ: If you believe John Piper, the abusive man must simply not have been taught about his special duty of care toward women. Which is the fault of egalitarian thought.

    Basically. #Logic

  106. Fisher: And for what purpose would the Almighty allow this man to experience the exact humiliation he caused others? For repentance.

    Okay, but Haman was hung on his own gallows not for repentance, but for comeuppance.

    Patterson has had many a time to repent…including last week, when these things came to light. He did no such thing.

    Now, justice.

  107. SiteSeer: The tactics used by Patterson are now being used by others against him, it seems. So the cycle goes.

    The pendulum always swings back. Newton’s third law states that every action has a reaction of equal force. Chickens come home to roost in the evening … the sun will also eventually set on Al Mohler’s rebellion. So the cycle goes.

  108. BJ: Since Patterson is gone, maybe that Such a Time as Now group can call for the ousting of Matt Chandler and Al Mohler, and anyone else we can think of who has covered up abuse or displayed poor judgement towards those who have been abused. There really are plenty of them. Let’s clean house!

    How about giving Sovereign Grace Church of Louisville the left foot of fellowship out of the SBC? Why yes, CJ Mahaney’s church in exile is part of the SBC. *rolls eyes*

  109. Jeffrey Chalmers: Did not the Neo Cal pseudo leader, the Piped Piper, himself say that wives should stay in abusive relationships? Why hasn’t the firestorm consumed him??

    He walked it back a few years later and said that yes, the police could be involved.

  110. NJ: If you believe John Piper, the abusive man must simply not have been taught about his special duty of care toward women. Which is the fault of egalitarian thought.

    I spent a month embroidering that statement on a pillowcase. Then I embroidered over it, “Dear John Piper, Worship Jesus, not your p***s!” Yeah, I’ve never been one to mince words.

  111. Muslin fka Deana Holmes: I spent a month embroidering that statement on a pillowcase. Then I embroidered over it, “Dear John Piper, Worship Jesus, not your p***s!” Yeah, I’ve never been one to mince words.

    Got a picture?

  112. He could leave a lot more than a few choice words in his wake if he chooses to. He knows where every body is buried in the convention. I pray he now exits gracefully, but after the Colter letter yesterday, I can see him fighting tooth and nail for his reputation. The seminary offered more clarity to their decision tonight. Needed clarity, maybe he’ll get that it’s over now. But in this climate, who knows?

  113. So how will Al Mohler and his band of New Calvinist rebels gain control of SWBTS? Here is one scenario. I fully expect several pro-Patterson SWBTS trustees to resign in protest over his dismissal. It was the Executive Committee that sent him packing, not a vote of the full board – there would have been weeping and gnashing of teeth in that meeting! Their departure will leave room for appointments of New Calvinists. A mixed board of Non-Calvinist and New-Calvinist would reflect what’s going on in the denomination at large – we need to all get along after all. The New Calvinist trustees will then work their charm on the rest of the board to convince them that SWBTS needs a President more Calvinistic to pull the seminary together and reverse the downward trend in student enrollment. Within a few short years, the new President will bring in more Calvinistic staff. Bingo.

  114. More of the same. This is the same takeover strategy that Patterson and friends used. It reminds me of the Old Testament scenarios in which one mighty nation annihilates another, only to later be crushed themselves. God will not be mocked.

  115. refugee: Was this a rhetorical question?
    Pursuing routes within the SBC sounds like an exercise in futility and further abuse.

    Agreed! Indeed, the promotion of such a response was partly responsible for Patterson being completely cut off. The argument that these things should be kept within the church is the problem, not the solution!

  116. More details here. Gets worse. 2015 rapist had weapons, Patterson told police it was consensual between the two parties. Rapist was not expelled.

    Southern Baptist leader told alleged victim it was ‘good’ she was raped, lawyer says

    https://amp-star–telegram-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/amp.star-telegram.com/news/local/community/fort-worth/article212356699.html?amp_js_v=a1&amp_gsa=1&usqp=mq331AQCCAE%3D#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&ampshare=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.star-telegram.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fcommunity%2Ffort-worth%2Farticle212356699.html

  117. truthseeker00: This is the same takeover strategy that Patterson and friends used. It reminds me of the Old Testament scenarios in which one mighty nation annihilates another, only to later be crushed themselves. God will not be mocked.

    Something Al Mohler must be thinking about these days.

  118. Beth74: Okay, but Haman was hung on his own gallows not for repentance, but for comeuppance.

    Patterson has had many a time to repent…including last week, when these things came to light. He did no such thing.

    Now, justice.

    You’re right, he’s been given lots of chances and God is obviously more more patient than I would have been. Ultimately if there is no real change of heart the gallows await…

    Meantime, just making sure I don’t gloat. Cause we’re warned about that:
    Proverbs 24:17-18 (ESV) Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

  119. Fisher: You’re right, he’s been given lots of chances and God is obviously more more patient than I would have been. Ultimately if there is no real change of heart the gallows await…

    Meantime, just making sure I don’t gloat.Cause we’re warned about that:
    Proverbs 24:17-18 (ESV) Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

    Paige Patterson was not my enemy before these things came to light.
    I think the Southern Baptists have done many worthwhile things over the years.

    Once you partake of evil, you become an enemy of God until you repent and straighten out.

    Patterson has never done this, never taken responsibility for his wicked actions.

    And trust me, I didn’t rejoice when I read the story about the women who were raped. I cried.

    And now, justice.

  120. Beth74: And trust me, I didn’t rejoice when I read the story about the women who were raped. I cried.

    And now, justice.

    I agree. There’s a gulf of difference between acknowledging the fall of evil men and gloating over them.

  121. truthseeker00:
    More of the same. This is the same takeover strategy that Patterson and friends used. It reminds me of the Old Testament scenarios in which one mighty nation annihilates another, only to later be crushed themselves. God will not be mocked.

    Reminds me of the French Revolution, Reign of Terror period.
    Where the Dantonists denounced and guillotined all the Hebertists.
    Then the Jacobins denounced and guillotined all the Dantonists.
    Finally the Thermidorians overthrew and guillotined all the Jacobins and Le Grand Terreur burned itself out.
    After filling the quicklime pits outside Paris with collateral damage each and every step of the way.

  122. refugee: And of course, it’s not the toxic theology that they, too, espouse.

    The Ideology of The Party is Perfect.
    The Party Can Do No Wrong.

  123. Augustine: Muff Potter,
    Many, like Piper and Dever, are remaining rather quiet in the midst of the storm that’s raging. I am hoping they are in a time of deep reflection and soul searching, coming, “low before God” as Andrew Murray once said.

    You drank more Kool-Aid than all of Jonestown, haven’t you?

  124. Beth74: More details here. Gets worse. 2015 rapist had weapons, Patterson told police it was consensual between the two parties. Rapist was not expelled.

    Ew Ew Ew. I missed some of these details. Can you imagine wanting to break someone down who had been attacked with weapons???

    From the article: “In the meeting with the woman and her family members, Cochran said, Patterson “required my client and her family to raise their hands if they wished to speak”

    Patterson has MAJOR problems with women. This is all disgusting. Disgusting that so many people have WORSHIPPED this man for kicking out all the ‘liberals’.

    Colter said she would respond to questions by midnight on June 1 but so far has not responded to a list of questions, including how she got the documents. In a publicly released statement, Ueckert said Colter released the documents shortly after they were provided to the trustees by Patterson’s lawyer.

    So, in a recent statement Colter said she talked to a lawyer, and was giving these documents by ‘someone’. Hmpf. But of course, she didn’t do this at Pattersons urging *eyeroll*

  125. Lea: Rapist was not expelled.

    Beth, I think I saw that the rapist was expelled, but it was for weapons violations, not rape. I haven’t seen that he wasn’t expelled at all in any articles…

  126. Jojo:
    Ergun Caner was not the president of Liberty. I think you mean dean.

    Dean at Liberty, president at a little college just down the road from me, Brewton-Parker.

  127. truthseeker00:
    Where is the necessary ‘protection’ from spiritual abuse – the unlawful and inappropriate manipulation and control of individuals by their so-called ‘leaders’, i.e., pastors, elders and husbands? What happens when an individual approaches an elder with a concern, perhaps a disagreement with decisions or methods approved by the ‘ruling elders’? How often are those concerns granted genuine legitimacy? How can such concerns possibly be objectively considered by the very ones whose decisions or actions are being questioned? Are they then brought before the larger congregation for open discussion, or swept aside as ‘illegitimate’, often followed by ‘discipline’ or excommunication for ‘questionable doctrine’, i.e., refusing to submit to the ‘authority’ of the ‘ruling elders’?/blockquote>

    This is my anecdotal experience, so can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve never taken an issue to a pastor or a team of elders or church leaders or seen anyone do likewise–even an issue involving obvious abuse that the leaders knew was a problem–where the whistleblower was not either completely blown off or subjected to absolutely diabolical retribution for bringing the issue up in the first place.

    Probably the most painful thing was watching people who’d agreed there was a problem, even in some cases encouraging others to take it up with the leadership, stand by mutely, not raising a single voice in protest, when they watched the person who did the confronting get ejected from the fellowship, slandered and their reputations and friendships destroyed. In my experience, if you want to see the face of hell, just blow the whistle on an abusive pastor.

  128. truthseeker00:Where is the necessary ‘protection’ from spiritual abuse – the unlawful and inappropriate manipulation and control of individuals by their so-called ‘leaders’, i.e., pastors, elders and husbands? What happens when an individual approaches an elder with a concern, perhaps a disagreement with decisions or methods approved by the ‘ruling elders’? How often are those concerns granted genuine legitimacy? How can such concerns possibly be objectively considered by the very ones whose decisions or actions are being questioned? Are they then brought before the larger congregation for open discussion, or swept aside as ‘illegitimate’, often followed by ‘discipline’ or excommunication for ‘questionable doctrine’, i.e., refusing to submit to the ‘authority’ of the ‘ruling elders’?…I speak from experience, although at the time I perceived my problem as unique, local and addressable. I respected and trusted the people involved, and had not the slightest doubt that my concerns would be taken seriously and addressed with integrity. I had no inkling of the systemic nature of spiritual abuse by ‘Church leaders’ that crosses all belief systems…

    This is my anecdotal experience, so can’t speak for anyone else, but I’ve never taken an issue to a pastor or a team of elders or church leaders or seen anyone do likewise–even an issue involving obvious abuse that the leaders knew was a problem–where the whistleblower was not either completely blown off or subjected to absolutely diabolical retribution for bringing the issue up in the first place.

    Probably the most painful thing was watching people who’d agreed there was a problem, even in some cases encouraging others to take it up with the leadership, stand by mutely, not raising a single voice in protest, when they watched the person who did the confronting get ejected from the fellowship, slandered and their reputations and friendships destroyed. In my experience, if you want to see the face of hell, just blow the whistle on an abusive pastor.

  129. Jeffrey Chalmers:
    Did not the Neo Cal pseudo leader, the Piped Piper, himself say that wives should stay in abusive relationships?Why hasn’t the firestorm consumed him??

    He consumed himself. He left Bethlehem Baptist, several years ago, under dark and mysterious circumstances, some sort of unspoken issues that ran him out the door. Now all that is left is a Twitter account and a fellow who shows up at conferences occasionally to bask in the glow of a gradually dwindling group of young, odd, damaged men. The glory years at Bethlehem Baptist are dead and gone.

  130. Fisher: You’re right, he’s been given lots of chances and God is obviously more more patient than I would have been. Ultimately if there is no real change of heart the gallows await…

    Meantime, just making sure I don’t gloat.Cause we’re warned about that:
    Proverbs 24:17-18 (ESV) Do not rejoice when your enemy falls,and let not your heart be glad when he stumbles, lest the Lord see it and be displeased, and turn away his anger from him.

    Some people have their consciences seared, they have no thoughts of repentance and do not care, they love themselves and themselves alone, they are ruthless, they hate God and rage against Him, they seek access to His people so they can abuse them—and what better access than church leadership? That is biblical also.

    I am not Paige Patterson’s judge and cannot say if he fits this category. But the Bible very clearly tells us this category exists and that church leaders sometimes fit within it. That was kind of a major theme of Jesus’ ministry, no?

  131. Deb,

    This is pretty typical Calvinista strategy, no?

    They’ve done it numerous times on a smaller scale, infiltrating and taking over individual churches from the insight out.

    Now their long game comes to fruition – they infiltrate and take over the largest Protestant body in the US.