Paige Patterson has been removed as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary after a marathon 13-hour session of trustees that ended just after 3am local time.
Patterson has been under fire for public comments he made about a 16-year-old girl and for appearing to suggest women should submit to violent husbands. He faced a massive backlash from women in particular, with many suggesting the denomination should take action against him.
He has been appointed president emeritus of the seminary, effective immediately, with the seminary's dean of the School of Theology, Jeffrey Bingham, appointed as interim president.
The trustees also adopted a motion stating 'evidence exists' that Patterson had complied with reporting laws on assault and abuse, according to Baptist Press.
Significantly, they found 'no evidence of misconduct' in the case of Nathan Montgomery who was fired from his employment as a catering manager on the campus when he tweeted an article by Ed Stetzer critical of Patterson. The firing had other consequences for Montgomery, a PhD student who also lost his tuition fee subsidy, and the trustees' finding appears to open the possibility of his reinstatement.
Baptist Press tweeted throughout the session, indicating that Patterson was called in to face trustees and also consulted with his own 'cabinet'.
As the trustees went into their closed session, the Washington Post published a story about a women who said Patterson had encouraged her not to report a rape to the police and told her to forgive the perpetrator. The incident is said to have occurred when Patterson was president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. The woman said of Patterson: 'He didn't necessarily say it was my fault, but [the sense from him was] I let him into my home.'
She said of the perpetrator: 'I forgave him because that's what the Bible tells me. Forgiveness also comes with the fact that I don't ever want to see him or talk to him. I've not forgiven Paige Patterson. He's also never apologised to me.'
Patterson has not commented on the story.
Patterson's firing as president represents a victory for campaigners and a recognition that he could not continue to represent the seminary in the light of the controversy surrounding him. His appointment as president emeritus arguably allows him to save face and reflects the unwillingness of the trustees to cast him adrift from the institution.
Patterson is due to speak at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting in June. The disapproval expressed by his termination may increase pressure on him to withdraw, but his appointment as president emeritus sends the opposite signal. Famously combative, Patterson may well take it as a green light to proceed.
