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. President Jerry Falwell Jr. has stained glass windows from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary unveiled at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Video screenshot from Liberty University Reynolds. Word&Way also reached out to Ben Lovvorn, executive pastor at First Baptist, Dallas, for comment about Patterson preaching in light of the allegations by SWBTS. He is one of a series of SBC entity heads to leave office in recent years, often in the midst of controversy. A Southwestern graduate, Greenway was dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary before being elected Southwesterns president. Robert E. Naylor became the fifth president on September 1, 1958. In the last case, Baptist News Global was sent photographs taken by a private investigator showing both Pattersons traveling to Memphis, Tenn., by private jet during the height of the coronavirus pandemic and meeting face-to-face with the elderly donor, who is named in the SBC Book of Reports as Elizabeth Griffin. Patterson was fired from leading Criswell College in 1991. Paige Patterson, Ph.D. - President, Southwest Baptist Theological Seminary Paige Patterson is president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. At that time, Carroll was the most influential leader in the Southern Baptist Convention. 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. Now, Southwesterns administration led by new President Adam Greenway, who has been on a three-year apology tour trying to mend fences with donors and alumni and other stakeholders has laid out specific charges against Paige and Dorothy Patterson. Located in Fort Worth, Texas, Southwestern reported having 2,331 students in the 202122 academic year, according to the Association of Theological Schools. Parker is a more rural part of the same county. Price, and the Department of Gospel Music, led by I.E. From the beginning, Southwestern Seminary has offered a wide program of training to equip not only pastors, evangelists, and missionaries, but also both men and women who are called to serve in a wide variety of ministries and roles. Again, from the vantage point of this alumnus, it seems recent presidents, to the seminary's detriment, have spent far too much money on new buildings and personal renovation projects. Collin County is located north of Dallas and is better known for its largest city, Plano, which is a suburb of Dallas. The new details from Southwesterns administration add to an already bizarre tale that implicates the Pattersons in attempts to gain personal benefit from donors and funds previously allocated to the seminary. 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. 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.. Midwestern Seminary was officially founded on May 29, 1957, when the Southern Baptist Convention voted to establish the institution and elected a board of trustees. Carrolls vision included a commitment to making theological education accessible to all those whom God called to serve the church, including those who were unable to attend to college. Instead, he said, The Lord is blessing Southwestern Seminary and Texas Baptist College in many ways. GREENVILLE, S.C. (BP) - The board of trustees for The Courier voted unanimously to call Jeff Robinson as the next editor and president of The Courier. Thats the reason why youre the only one I have talked to. I urge all Southern Baptists to carefully read it in its entirety to understand the scope of the challenges faced by this institution in the wake of the former presidents rightful dismissal., Greenway implored: Southwestern Seminary has told the truth., BP also quoted Bart Barber, pastor of First Baptist Church of Farmersville, Texas, and a member of the seminary trustee executive committee that voted to fire Patterson. Through legal counsel, over the course of several months, the seminary repeatedly requested that the Pattersons return these documents. Copyright 2023 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. In the fall of 1998 enrollment was 3,676, with a faculty of 201. 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. When Patterson came to Southwestern as president, the school was graduating about 250 M.Div. The School of Religious Education became the School of Educational Ministries in 1997. Hawkins is president-emeritus of Guidestone Financial Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention and a two-time alumnus of Southwestern Seminary. Carroll, therefore, led Texas Baptists to establish the seminary under the control of the churches through trustees elected by the Baptist General Convention of Texas. 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. 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. If IRS forms have been filed since then, they have not been posted on the IRS website. The SBC Executive Committees leaders, officers and legal counsel believe a sole member designation inserted in every SBC entitys bylaws reserves that right only for the SBC, not for the board itself. 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 . We are thrilled that we are going to help prepare Southern Baptist missionaries for their work of addressing the worlds greatest problemspiritual lostnesswith Gods solution, which is the gospel of Christ. It also lists $1.5 million in assets or real estate and equipment. Greenway said that he and his wife, Carla, were ready to embrace his new role at the IMB. Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, a Southern Baptist Convention seminary in Fort Worth, Texas, has relieved President Paige Patterson of his responsibilities. In Baptist history, Sandy Creek was the name of an 18th century Baptist church in North Carolina from which the more informal and revivalistic branch of Southern Baptists trace their roots. Trustees elected by the Convention secured a charter and adopted the Abstract of Principles as the Seminary's Articles of Faith. 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. In 1921, both departments became full-fledged schools. The latest numbers from Southwestern actually show a gain from the prior year, when the full-time-equivalent reached a low of 1,029. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. 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. In a statement, Greenway said he was unprepared for the enormous reputational, legal and financial realities facing the seminary, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They are also challenging times for academic institutions, particularly theological seminaries. Southeastern Seminary in North Carolina leads the six schools in enrollment of non-SBC students, which account for 32% of its headcount. Carroll knew also that a seminary was needed in the Southwest as a bulwark against error. That foundations trustees had changed their internal rules in order to send funds to a charity run by Patterson. These days are incredibly challenging in the life of our denomination. Last year, the seminary sued to restore donations that were diverted away when Patterson left and called out the former president for taking its property. All rights reserved. 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. 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.. God has blessed B.H. The report also accuses the couple of theft of specific items from a collection of artwork, taxidermy and firearms donated to the seminary by Perry Bolin in 2009. Regarding the $5 million check, the donor on his own requested the money be returned because he was disgusted by how the @swbts trustees had treated Dr. Patterson. Southwestern also has become the second smallest of the six SBC seminaries by total nonduplicating headcount. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. County records show the property was purchased by the foundation on Aug. 20, 2018, three months after Paige Patterson was fired at Southwestern. Adam W. Greenway was elected by the board of trustees as the ninth president of Southwestern Seminary on February 27, 2019, assuming office the same day. 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.". Southwestern Seminary moved from Waco to Fort Worth in 1910. 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 seminary report states: Within days of President Pattersons termination, Candi Finch emailed the seminarys confidential donor list to a private email address associated with an assistant to the Pattersons. Can anyone lead the Southern Baptist Convention forward? Carroll, the first president, served from the embryonic stages of the school until his death in November 1914. In 2018, the Sandy Creek Foundation reported only $1,448 in gifts and grants to assist other organizations. Financial statements reported by Southwestern via SBC Annuals and the SBC Book of Reports show that private gifts to the seminary have, indeed, declined since Pattersons firing. 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. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. However, because a settlement was reached in that case before the trial began, details of the accusations against Patterson were not publicly documented and Patterson was spared from being compelled to testify. One of Southern Seminary's distinguishing features is its faculty, whose contributions place Southern at the forefront of evangelical scholarship. Carroll student housing to the Fort Worth Housing Finance Corp. in a public-private enterprise designed to provide . He has graduate degrees from both Southern and Southwestern, where he met his wife. For her part, Finch has been active on Twitter since May 29 defending herself and the Pattersons. 2023 Baptist News Global. Nevertheless, in the Providence of God we sense a release from our duties here. Current seminary officials say the Pattersons convinced a donor to redirect a $5 million gift from the seminary to their foundation, used the seminarys donor list to send out a mass mailing soliciting funds for their foundation, used the donor list to spread misinformation regarding the seminary, and attempted to convince another donor to change her wills beneficiary away from the seminary to their foundation. Dr. Less than year later, he was installed as president at Southeastern Seminary. (RNS) The president of one of the Southern Baptist Conventions largest seminaries resigned on Friday (Sept. 23), less than four years after taking office. I do not think the courtroom or the press is the place where Christians need to discuss their differences, Patterson told BP, adding that the interview would be his only public comment on the matter. 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. Current. His name did not appear in the seminarys search because records from that period of time are not digitally searchable. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Carroll recognized, however, that a theological school bound to a university could not accomplish the task as successfully as a freestanding seminary under direct denominational control. There already is a dispute going between Southwesterns administration and the SBC Executive Committee about who can remove a convention-elected trustee. It should extend to all places and to all men. 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. In connection with its charitable giving efforts, the seminary developed a confidential donor list that identified every individual and entity that has made a gift or donation to the seminary, the report to the SBC explains. The list has been added to the story and the number of individuals has been updated in the first paragraph and the headline. Southwestern Seminarys faculty must heartily affirm the entire truth of the Bible and are held accountable to it through confessional commitment to Baptist convictions. 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. From the start, Carrolls vision therefore included a commitment to orthodoxy. Since assuming the presidency at Southwestern, Greenway worked to establish a new era at the Fort Worth, Texas, school, removing stained glass windows commemorating Patterson and other Conservative Resurgence leaders from the schools chapel and initially making cuts to recalibrate.. Seminary Hill, Fort Worth swbts.edu Born March 14, 1908 Joined February 2009. Hawkins, a Southwestern alum who recently retired as president of GuideStone Financial Services the insurance and retirement arm of the SBC was named acting president. The Fort Worth, Texas, seminary has experienced a precipitous drop in enrollment over the past two decades, while two consecutive presidents reportedly spent beyond their means. A Southwestern graduate, Greenway was dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Ministry at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary before being elected Southwesterns president. Sign up for our newsletter: Scarborough, elected president in February 1915, retired in 1942 and was succeeded by E. D. Head. 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 The most recent IRS Form 990 on file is from 2018, the year of Paige Pattersons firing. It does not store any personal data. Kenneth S. Hemphill was elected as the seventh president of Southwestern Seminary by the board of trustees on July 28, 1994. That was the heart of the legal case with the Riley Foundation, which held a $15 million corpus intended by Hal Riley before his death to benefit Southwestern and Baylor. By comparison, the latest reports for academic year 2019-2020 shows private gifts to Southwestern totaling 9,827,249 $6 million less than Pattersons last year but still significantly more than any of the other five SBC seminaries. In a statement, Greenway spoke about his time on Seminary Hill. He served as president from August 2003 to May 2018. Adam Greenway has resigned as president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary three and a half years after he succeeded fired president Paige Patterson. All rights reserved. The Council of Seminary Presidents of the Southern Baptist Convention released a statement denouncing racism, but also declared critical race theory incompatible with their beliefs. 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.. Five days after naming O.S. Paige Patterson posing in the presidents office at Southwestern with Terry Turner, a Texas pastor. What has been so disillusioning for me since 2018 is the people who know the truth and are unwilling to stand up for it.. The president of one of the Southern Baptist Convention's largest seminaries resigned on Friday, less than four years after taking office. Scarborough College, now Texas Baptist College. "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. Danny Akin, the president of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, confirmed an earlier report by Religion News Service that the person who initiated the statement was Albert Mohler,. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Finch, in her series of tweets last week, said the Pattersons have done nothing wrong and have, in fact, helped raise money for the seminary even after Paige Pattersons firing. In a statement, Greenway said he was unprepared for the enormous reputational, legal and financial realities facing the seminary, which were exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. (Update: On September 27, the trustees adjusted plans to have David Dockerywho was a theology professor and special consultant to Greenwayserve as interim president and Hawkins as senior advisor and ambassador-at-large. He served as president from July 1994 until July 2003. It should be as broad as the world and as wide as humanity." B.H. "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. 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. Former president. 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. According the SBC Book of Reports, Southwesterns budget grew from $32.6 million during the first year of Greenways presidency to $37.3 million for this school year.