Paige Patterson, the controversial former head of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, has been stripped of the title 'president emeritus' granted him only last week after trustees considered new evidence about his handling of a rape case.
Patterson, a leader in the 'conservative resurgence' that saw the denomination lurch to the right in the 1990s, had been under fire after comments he made justifying the sexualisation of a 16-year-old girl and appearing to say that women with abusive husbands should continue to submit to them. Thousands of Southern Baptists had called for action to be taken against him and last week he was terminated as seminary president. However, in a compromise that drew attacks from his critics, he was granted the emeritus title and told he could live in a house built for him on campus grounds.
On the same day the trustees met, however, a fresh story broke in the Washington Post about Patterson's behavour when he was president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. A student who later identified herself as Megan Lively reported her rape to Patterson and other officials in 2003. They failed to notify police and Patterson urged her to forgive her attacker.
In a statement yesterday, SWBTS trustees said 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'.
It concluded: 'Further, the Seminary stands against all forms of abuse and grieves for individuals wounded by abuse. Today, Dr Bingham made it clear that SWBTS denounces all abusive behaviour, any behaviour that enables abuse, any failure to protect the abused and any failure to safeguard those who are vulnerable to abuse. Additionally, Dr Bingham called for the SWBTS community to join the Body of Christ in praying for healing for all individuals affected by abuse.'
The decision represents a stinging defeat for Patterson, who is still scheduled to speak at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting on June 13.
The trustees decision was welcomed by several Southern Baptist figures. 'I am very grateful that the trustees chose to act with moral clarity,' wrote Denny Burk, a Southern Baptist professor and president of the complementarian Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood.
Wade Burleson, a long-time Patterson critic, wrote of a 'new day dawning' in the Southern Baptist Convention and criticised the doctrine of the inherent 'spiritual authority' of males over females taught by Patterson and espoused by many Southern Baptist pastors.
