In the second Friday afternoon news drop in two weeks, the Baptist General Convention of Texas announced April 17 it will launch another study of the relationship between the BGCT and Baylor University.
This follows a recent dialogue that concluded in 2023 without any changes proposed. Baylor’s relationship to the BGCT has been a regular item of concern since the university’s regents in 1991 declared themselves a self-perpetuating board. Before then, the BGCT had total control of naming university trustees. Since then, the state convention nominates only 25% of trustees in consultation with the current board.
Today, the BGCT contributes only 0.001% of Baylor’s $995.8 million annual budget but controls 25% of the board. Some Baylor insiders think that’s not fair and want to eliminate the BGCT’s role entirely. But the BGCT wants to exert more influence — especially over matters of human sexuality.
The latest study has been sparked by Baylor administrators allowing a student group to bring two gay Christian speakers to campus next week for an event that will counter the Turning Point USA rally the administration also approved.
BGCT leaders have not raised concerns about the far-right TPUSA event but have focused instead on the “All Are Neighbors” event planned in response. They first expressed those concerns the previous Friday afternoon.
BGCT Executive Director Julio Guarneri (Texas Baptists photo / Neil Williams)
Texas Baptists Executive Director Julio Guarneri told the Baptist Standard he had “conversations” with Baylor leadership, the chair of the BGCT Institutional Relations Committee, the chair of the Texas Baptists Executive Board and “several Texas Baptists pastors.”
“Hosting speakers who are Christian, identify as gay and practice LGBTQ advocacy at a university-approved event is inconsistent with the convention’s long-standing views on biblical sexuality,” Guarneri said. “It is likely that the viewpoints to be shared at this event and others may not represent either BGCT’s or Baylor’s official positions, and convention messengers have made it clear that the traditional view of biblical sexuality is a matter of fellowship and harmonious cooperation.”
The BGCT carries no authority to dictate or even advise on Baylor’s curriculum or academic programs or on any other campus events. It was the fear of just such influence from the Southern Baptist Convention that caused the university to seize control of its board 35 years ago.
Nevertheless, Guarneri said: “While I respect the BGCT governance process and the final authority of convention messengers, I will ask the directors attending our upcoming May Executive Board meeting to initiate a study of our relationship with Baylor through our Institutional Relations Committee.”
At last year’s BGCT annual meeting, a motion was made from the floor to direct the Institutional Relations Committee to evaluate the relationship between Baylor and the BGCT and report its findings to messengers at the 2026 BGCT annual meeting. That motion narrowly failed.
Now, Guarneri is asking for essentially the same thing to be done anyway.
Related articles:
Texas Baptists ‘concerned’ about Baylor allowing gay speakers
Baylor rejects grant to study LGBTQ exclusion in the church
In historic first, Baylor will allow gay Christian advocates on campus
Amid LGBTQ controversy, social work dean ‘steps down’ at Baylor
Coalition of Baylor student groups seek alternative event to TPUSA
Here’s what’s wrong with Baylor hosting a TPUSA event | Opinion by Mark Wingfield
Fear drove Baylor to allow TPUSA on campus, Perryman asserts
Why the Turning Point Baylor rally Is un-Christian | Opinion by Greg Garrett