; James K. Dew Jr., president, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, New Orleans; Daniel L. Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist This photo, taken by a private investigator, was among a set mailed to seminary leaders and others. He concluded his service September 23, 2022. Not only that, they were accused of attempting to take control of the company Riley founded, Citizens Inc., a $300 million publicly traded company. It should be as broad as the world and as wide as humanity." B.H. In 2021, Southwestern and Baylor University sued allies of former Southwestern President Patterson over control of a foundation that had been set up to benefit the two schools. The sale of most of its Carroll Park student housing complex, which encompasses 20 acres separate from the main seminary campus, would be a financial boon to the Southern Baptist Convention seminary that recently has experienced . Dockery was previously president of Union University and Trinity International University/Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.). It has been accredited by the Association of Theological Schools in the United States and Canada (ATS) since 1958 [6] and by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) since 1978. Also at that peak, Southwestern enrolled more than 1,800 students in its master of divinity program, which in the latest report shows only 281 students enrolled. After Pattersons firing, the seminary administration determined no longer to display most of the Bolin collection. Interim President David S. Dockery presented the aforementioned "organization restructuring" to trustees on the second day of their Oct. 17-18 gathering on Seminary Hill. Faculty - Southern Seminary - Academics The chairman of the Board of Trustees and president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary jointly published today an open letter to the seminary community that includes a list of 14 individuals who were previously students and/or staff of the institution and who appear on a larger list of persons arrested or credibly charged with sexual abuse or sexual assault maintained by the . Adam Greenway, who served as the president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary from February 2019 to September 2022, was one of many who argued that the decision sets a bad precedent . The IRS form shows $92,000 in travel expenses that year. Email:[emailprotected] Carroll Founder and First President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Sometime between 2017 and the end of 2018, the name of the foundation was changed from Patmos Evangelistic Association to Sandy Creek Foundation. That dispute stems from the Riley Foundation lawsuit. The Sandy Creek Foundation is an IRS-approved public charity that lists Paige Patterson as its president and Dorothy Patterson as its vice president. Greenway has accepted a role with the International Mission Board (IMB). RELATED: Baylor and Southwestern Baptist regain control of Texas foundation after failed coup, Adam Greenway addresses the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex on June 12, 2019, in Birmingham, Alabama. Kenneth S. Hemphill became the seventh president on July 28, 1994, by a vote of the board of trustees. Ron Miller was named SBU's first Vice President for Online Learning in September 2022. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Adam Greenway was elected president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2019, in hopes that he would help the school recover from the controversial tenure of former President Paige Patterson, who was fired in 2018 for mishandling abuse allegations. For example, 20% of Southwesterns big-number enrollment (3,907) constitutes non-SBC students. "In Southern Baptist life, basically you are deemed in until you have proven that you are out," said Adam Greenway, former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Paige Patterson posing in the presidents office at Southwestern with Terry Turner, a Texas pastor. Hawkins interim president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, trustees announced a new plan: Hawkins will serve as senior advisor and ambassador at large, and David Dockery will serve as interim president. Bob has served as a senior writer for Facts & Trends, senior editor of Christianity Today, religion writer at The Tennessean, correspondent for RNS and contributor to OnFaith, USA Today and The Washington Post. Therefore, there is no public record of the organizations finances since Pattersons firing. A major Southern Baptist seminary has fired one of the movement's giants of the last quarter-century, Paige Patterson, after new information came to light regarding how Patterson handled a. This concern should not be localized nor nationalized. Individuals with additional information are invited to contact the seminary at PresOffice@swbts.edu. "From my vantage point, the present situation is inexcusable and unacceptable," Adam W. Greenway, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, tweeted on. Less than year later, he was installed as president at Southeastern Seminary. Southern Baptist seminary turmoil leaves stained glass artists picking The successor to Paige Patterson cites reputational, legal, and financial realities as he moves on to an IMB role. Renamed in 2009 in honor of former dean Jack D. Terry Jr., it is now the Jack D. Terry School of Educational Ministries. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary Announces Layoffs Job and Ministry Opportunities - Asbury Theological Seminary Southwesterns administration, trustee officers and legal counsel believe the seminary board must be allowed to manage its own affairs or risk running afoul of both Texas law and accreditation standards. How, or if, any of this will be addressed at the SBC annual meeting in Nashville in mid-June is not clear. That foundations trustees had changed their internal rules in order to send funds to a charity run by Patterson. We hope you will! Citizens' Perceptions of Government Responses to COVID-19 | Inside Greear told the Houston Chronicle in January 2020. Southwestern Seminary releases list of 14 individuals connected to The first seven presidents of the seminary . In addition to accusations of theft of items from the seminarys Bolin collection, the administration accuses the Pattersons of using confidential donor information for their own financial gain. At their recent annual session, the Council approved a resolution celebrating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the revised Baptist Faith & Message. The complete severing of ties between the seminary and Patterson came after trustees first adopted a more gracious transition out of office that was met with fierce criticism as being too kind. How Did Saddleback Get Kicked out of the SBC? It's Complicated. County records show the property was purchased by the foundation on Aug. 20, 2018, three months after Paige Patterson was fired at Southwestern. Under the leadership of Interim President Dr. Jeffrey Bingham, SWBTS remains committed to its calling to assist the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention by biblically educating. He also spoke about his new role with the IMB. @SWBTS. The saga of Southwestern Seminary and the - Baptist News Global In receiving President Greenways resignation, we express our deepest appreciation for his more than three and one-half years of service to his alma mater, said Danny Roberts, chair of the Southwestern board. 2001 W. Seminary Drive, Fort Worth, Texas 76115. Kenneth S. Hemphill was elected as the seventh president of Southwestern Seminary by the board of trustees on July 28, 1994. The Tale of Two Presidents at Southwestern Seminary Patterson's status has been in question for weeks after reports surfaced that years ago he advised an abused woman to remain with her husband and forgive him. When news broke last month about the sudden resignation of Adam Greenway as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, many Southern Baptist Convention observers and alumni of the Fort Worth, Texas, seminary were surprised to learn how small the school is today. He will take a new role at the Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board, according to an announcement from the seminary. A common theme of the reports was God's faithfulness during the challenges of 2020. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". On top of ongoing litigation around Pattersons response to abuse, disputes with the previous leadership at Southwestern lingered under the new administration. The most recent IRS Form 990 on file is from 2018, the year of Paige Pattersons firing. Southwestern Seminary campus in Fort Worth, Texas. Trustees elected by the Convention secured a charter and adopted the Abstract of Principles as the Seminary's Articles of Faith. Instead, he said, The Lord is blessing Southwestern Seminary and Texas Baptist College in many ways. Greenway resigns as president of Southwestern Seminary The ultimate goal of the Sandy Creek Foundation is the evangelization of those who are lost and the advancement of the kingdom of God.. He came to Southwestern Seminary during a difficult time of transition and has worked tirelessly to lead the institution to serve well the churches of the Southern Baptist Convention.. Greenway's resignation comes years. Baylor University's Truett Seminary has added a second faculty member aligned with the new Global Methodist Church, the conservative breakaway from the United Methodist Church.. We have done our best to serve Southern Baptists by helping position our seminary for the future, but much, much work remains to be done, he said. Carroll, and we remain steadfastly committed to seeing that vision fulfilled in our day., He said he sees his new position at the International Mission Board as not a departure from but a continuation along the journey God has always had us walk.. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The report looks at churches approved for disaffiliation through the end of 2022, and identified 1,967, amounting to 6.6% of total U.S. churches in 2019.". The school more than doubled its revenue from its endowment, up to $4 million, while also tripling its revenue from private gifts, up to $3.7 million. Patterson, during his tenure at Southeastern Seminary from 1992 to 2003, pioneered this innovation to expand the seminarys reach, increase its enrollment and maintain funding from the SBC Cooperative Program even as graduate-level enrollments already were declining. The faculty's academic achievement is matched by a willingness to invest in students, ensuring that an indelible mark is left on students' entire lives. Paige Patterson, president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, is seen speaking here in this May 2018 photo. It shows Dorothy Patterson with Elizabeth Griffen in July 2020. As of the time of this response, the missing items have yet to be returned to the seminary.. In 2019, the seminary worked with the Bolin family to transfer ownership of much of the collection to a third party since the seminary did not have plans to publicly display again the taxidermy on campus, the report explains. He will take a new role at the Southern Baptist Conventions International Mission Board, according to an announcement from the seminary. He is one of a series of SBC entity heads to leave office in recent years, often in the midst of controversy. Saddleback Church doubles down on support for female pastors, Mormonisms slow shift away from demonizing working mothers, Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth, For many congregations, wiping out medical debt has become a popular calling, Southern Baptists oust Rick Warrens Saddleback Church for naming a female pastor, Beth Moore tries to untangle her all knotted-up life in new memoir, Todd Benkert leaves SBC abuse task force after conflict over pastors restoration, Why the He Gets Us Super Bowl ads make Jews nervous, Copyright 2020, Religion News Service. Screengrab from the 2019 Southern Baptist Convention annual . James P. Boyce: 1859-1888 John A. Broadus: 1889-1895 William H. Whitsitt: 1895-1899 E. Y. Mullins: 1899-1928 John R. Sampey: 1929-1942 Ellis A. Fuller: 1942-1950 Legal counsel for the SBC Executive Committee wrote to Southwesterns legal counsel to complain about this, asserting that under Texas law a trustee has the right to participate in meetings of the board as long as he holds office.. Southwestern also has become the second smallest of the six SBC seminaries by total nonduplicating headcount, meaning the number of unique students enrolled whether full time or part time. Your daily news briefing from the editors of CT: The Kings College Faces Threat of Closure, Christian Conservationists Sue to Protect Ghana Forest. Reynolds. Nevertheless, in the Providence of God we sense a release from our duties here.. Access to MinistryWatch content is free. Can anyone lead the Southern Baptist Convention forward? Instead (and contrary to the Pattersons representations that seminary records had been purged), the Pattersons have continued to use institutional records for their own personal benefit and to the detriment of the seminary.. He begins his duties on March 1. Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary was formed on May 19, 1950, by a vote of the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Chicago. "These days are incredibly challenging in the life of our denomination, said Greenway. Adam Greenway was elected president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2019, in hopes that he would help the school recover from the controversial tenure of former President Paige Patterson, who was fired in 2018 for mishandling abuse allegations. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. The school also accused Patterson of stealing seminary property and confidential donor information in its 2021 report to the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting. O. S. Hawkins, retired president of the SBC financial services entity GuideStone, will lead the school in the interim. Adam Greenway resigns as Southwestern Seminary president Part of the pastoral leadership team for Redemption City Church in Benbrook, Texas. Parker is a more rural part of the same county. The latest numbers from Southwestern actually show a gain from the prior year, when the full-time-equivalent reached a low of 1,029. Ukrainian Seminary Leader: Russian Invasion Could Send Baptist Churches You've read 0 of 5 of todays most popular posts. Adam Greenway was elected president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2019, in hopes that he would help it recover from the controversial tenure of Paige Patterson. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Some of the departures have been contentious, including longtime preaching professor David Allen, who left this year. Ministry Watch 2022 All rights reserved. Although he didnt directly address the accusations against him that had been published two days earlier, he did reference the lynch mob that I saw out there trying to get hold of me., After Pattersons termination from Southwestern, some SBC officials urged SBC churches not to invite him to preach for them, as noted by a weekend report on the Missouri Word&Way: Trustees terminated Paige Patterson for cause, publicly disclosing that his conduct was antithetical to the core values of our faith, SBC President J.D. From its inception, Southwestern Seminary has sought to combine the highest standards of research and scholarship with vigorous training in the practical areas of ministry including missions, evangelism, discipleship, preaching, and worship. To my knowledge, every word of the @SWBTS report is true., Paige Patterson was scheduled to preach at First Baptist Church of Dallas on Sunday morning, May 30. He and Leah have four children. There must be a new Baptist seminary. There already is a dispute going between Southwesterns administration and the SBC Executive Committee about who can remove a convention-elected trustee. (Photo / Ken Camp) Ken Camp / Managing Editor What we failed to appreciate was the enormity of the reputational, legal, and financial realities that would welcome us to the Domeonly to be compounded by a global pandemic unlike anything we have ever experienced before. In an exceptionally rare move, the administration of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has used its annual report to the Southern Baptist Convention to accuse its former president of theft. He assumed the president's office less than one year after the board cut all ties with former President Paige Patterson, who was accused of mishandling reports of sexual abuse and of using demeaning language toward women. In a statement, Greenway spoke about his time on Seminary Hill. No current students or employees appear on the list, they noted. Rather than return the records, the Pattersons advised the seminary that the documents had been purged. At the same time, the seminary has expended significant energies in reviewing and cataloging the archives of former President Patterson in order to return to their rightful owner items that do not belong to the seminary. Dr. Paige Patterson - ACCA These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. Barber wrote on social media over the weekend that he had first-hand knowledge of some of the information in the seminarys response to the motions. E.D. Fish School of Evangelism and Missions, as well as the seminarys undergraduate school, the L.R. Greenway resigned during a meeting of the seminary's executive committee. The IRS form also lists five directors: Brad Jurkovich, pastor of First Baptist Church of Bossier City, La., and leader of the Conservative Baptist Network; Linda Behan, a Fort Worth businesswoman who was a previous donor to Southwestern; Mark Howell, the Pattersons son-in-law and former senior pastor at Hunters Glen Baptist Church in Plano; Armour Patterson, Paige and Dorothys son who is an author; and Paul Spann, a Dallas layperson and former director of the Riley Foundation. That makes the Fort Worth school the smallest of the SBC seminaries except for Gateway Seminary in California, with an enrollment of 420.