Herman Paul Pressler III of Houston died June 7, four days before the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting, where nothing was said about his passing.
Pressler, who had just turned 94, was the co-architect of the so-called “conservative resurgence” in the SBC.
Paul Pressler (left) and Paige Patterson, architects of the SBC takeover, sit at Cafe duMonde in New Orleans June 9, 1990, comemmorating their meeting at the same spot 20 years earlier to conceive the plan to gain control of the nation’s largest non-Catholic denomination. (Photo by Thom Scott)
He was a leading figure in the denomination for five decades. However, he has been credibly accused of sexual abuse of boys and young men over a period of years. Those allegations put his previous status as a champion of conservatism in a new light.
Baptist News Global has confirmed the death as verified by a printed order of service from the funeral held Saturday, June 15, at George H. Lewis and Sons Funeral Home in Houston. About 70 people were reported to have attended the service.
Over the years, Pressler and his family were associated with both First Baptist Church of Houston and Second Baptist Church of Houston.
A Google search for Pressler’s name shows a preview of an obituary from Dignity Memorial, but there is no obituary when a reader clicks through on the hyperlink. This most likely is the result of a once-public obituary being taken offline. (The online obituary was restored on Sunday, June 16.)
Pressler was born June 4, 1930, in Houston.
“Paul Pressler will go down as the biggest hypocrite in Baptist history. He split the Southern Baptist Convention and decimated the ministries of countless seminary professors, denominational workers and pastors, all the while preying upon young men who believed his sanctimonious tripe,” said Marv Knox, former features editor for Baptist Press and later editor of the Texas Baptist Standard. “Thank God, Pressler lived long enough for the truth of his malevolence and debauchery to be known across the SBC and beyond.”
Related articles:
Pressler’s power ensnares an unlikely victim, Al Mohler | Opinion by Marv Knox
What the SBC should do about its most famous accused sexual abuser | Opinion by Marv Knox
Confidential settlement reached in Pressler sexual abuse case