ASHEBORO, N.C. (ABP) — The five colleges and universities that relate to the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina have asked the convention to study its relationships with the schools.
The move reflects growing upheaval between moderates and conservatives in the state convention.
Campbell University, Chowan College, Gardner-Webb University, Mars Hill College and Wingate University acted in concert, making their request through the convention's Council on Christian Higher Education Sept. 27, which convened a late-night meeting to discuss the situation.
Meanwhile, the North Carolina Baptist Foundation also asked the convention's executive committee to evaluate the foundation's relationship with the convention, while the North Carolina Baptist Retirement Homes asked that its earlier request for a new relationship with the convention be tabled for now.
The executive committee approved all of the requests.
The motions came after two days of fast-moving, back-and-forth developments during the convention's board of directors meeting Sept. 27-28.
Leaders of the convention-related organizations reacted with concern after convention officials denied some of their recommendations for trustees or directors. Moderates in the state are worried that conservatives, who control most convention positions, will impose a narrow theological direction on the organizations.
John Butler, president of the board of directors, said the study does not imply the colleges want to terminate their relationships with the convention. The schools' desire is “to perhaps modify the relationship but preserve a true relationship between colleges and the BSC,” Butler said.
Executive committee member Coy Privette asked what problem the colleges have with the current relationships. Dan Lunsford, president of Mars Hill College, said potential trustees recommended by the colleges were excluded by the convention committee that nominates. “Ultimate choices all came off of our list [of recommended trustees], but rules were modified subsequent to submitting the names,” Lunsford said.
According to sources on the committee on nominations, trustee candidates were excluded because their churches were affiliated with the Alliance of Baptists or not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Neither affiliation is part of official trustee criteria.
The motion to study the convention's relationship with the North Carolina Baptist Foundation was approved after committee members were warned about potential ascending liability. In 1999, a court settlement connected with the failure of the Baptist Foundation of Arizona cost the Arizona Southern Baptist Convention about $1.2 million, not including legal expenses.