“#Me Too” impacts Southern Baptist Convention Meeting in Dallas

Photo courtesy Baptist Press, Adam Covington

The longtime Baptist minister who had been scheduled to make the keynote address at this week’s Southern baptist Convention meeting in Dallas has decided not to do so, and in fact will not be at the convention for the first time in 66 years.

The decision comes after Paige Patterson was fired as President  of the  Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary amid allegations he mishandled allegations of sexual abuse. The Associated Press reports he wrote to “The Southern Baptist Family”:

“Recently, I have been accused, publicly and privately, of a number of things — none of which I acknowledge as having done in the way portrayed,” Patterson wrote, “and others that I am confident I absolutely did not do. I’ll just speak to several examples. First, a poor choice of words has occurred, in and out of the pulpit, over decades of ministry. I regret each case in which my heart and message were not clearly presented.

“On the other hand, I take exception to accusations that I ever knowingly ignored or failed to follow appropriate protocols in cases of reported abuse of women, students, or staff at any institution where I have served,” he wrote. “Indeed, the Southwestern trustees confirmed as much in their public statement of May 23, 2018: ‘The board affirmed a motion stating evidence exists that Dr. Patterson has complied with reporting laws regarding assault and abuse.”

About 37% of Alabama church members identify as Baptist.

You can read more about the history of the denomination in the state HERE.