Paige Patterson, former President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, was terminated from his current position with the school following reports that he mishandled a student's sexual assault allegation at another institution in 2003.
The SWBTS said "new information" surfaced regarding the handling of the allegation Wednesday morning. SWBTS did not elaborate in its statement.
Patterson was demoted from President to President Emeritus of the seminary recently and has faced a media firestorm all month.
An unearthed audio recording of Patterson from 2000 recently surfaced where he suggests women in an abusive relationship turn to God instead of the courts.
The Washington Post reported last week that Patterson allegedly encouraged a student at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, who claimed she was raped, not to go to the authorities but to instead forgive her attacker.
The SWBTS said in a written statement Wednesday that it reviewed details surrounding that complaint and ultimately decided to fire Patterson altogether.
Saying, "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."
The statement went on to say that, "SWBTS denounces all abusive behavior, any behavior that enables abuse, any failure to protect the abused and any failure to safeguard those who are vulnerable to abuse."
Patterson was the former head of the Southern Baptist Convention, and a man credited with laying the foundations for the SBC as it exists today. In the 1970s and 1980s, he was key in leading the fight to make the SBC conservative.
Next month, Patterson is scheduled to deliver a sermon at the SBC's annual meeting in Dallas where an estimated 10,000 are expected to attend.
It's not clear if he will still take the stage.
Read the statement in its entirety:
During the May 30, 2018, Executive Committee meeting of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) Board of Trustees, new information confirmed this morning was presented regarding the handling of an allegation of sexual abuse against a student during Dr. Paige Patterson’s presidency at another institution and resulting issues connected with statements to the Board of Trustees that are inconsistent with SWBTS’s biblically informed core values.
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.
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 God-called men and women for ministries that fulfill the Great Commission and glorify God.
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 behavior, any behavior 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.