For the second time in two weeks, Paige Patterson and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary have been set free of legal action against them.
Writing for the Nashville Tennessean, religion writer Liam Adams reported April 20 that both Patterson and Southwestern Seminary have settled with Gerald D. Rollins, who alleges another prominent figure — Paul Pressler — sexually abused him years ago.
Rollins contends Patterson and Southwestern Seminary were part of a larger effort to conceal knowledge of alleged sexual abuse by Pressler against young men. That theme echoes a much bigger issue at play within the Southern Baptist Convention, which is facing a reckoning over allegations in an independent investigation last year that leaders of the SBC Executive Committee for years mishandled knowledge of sexual abuse cases.
And in fact, mishandling sexual abuse claims was one of the primary reasons Patterson was fired as Southwestern’s president in 2018. Just two weeks ago, another case against him on similar grounds was dismissed by a federal court judge due to lack of prosecutable evidence.
The Tennessean reported that Rollins has “agreed to an undisclosed settlement” with Patterson and Southwestern. The announcement came one day after Southwestern trustees concluded their spring meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, which included a lengthy executive session.
“Dr. Patterson is grateful that he has been removed from a suit that he should never have been included.”
“Dr. Patterson is grateful that he has been removed from a suit that he should never have been included,” J. Shelby Sharpe, Patterson’s attorney, told the Tennessean. “No money was paid on Dr. Patterson’s behalf or by him to have him non-suited.”
Southwestern Seminary declined to comment to the newspaper on its dismissal from the Rollins suit.
The lawsuit carries on for others, though, and is slated for trial in May. Remaining defendants are Pressler, the SBC, the SBC Executive Committee, and First Baptist Church of Houston, where Pressler was a member at the time.
This case has been dragging on for six years, and in the meantime other men have come forward with allegations of inappropriate behavior against them by Pressler, who is a retired appeals court judge.
Pressler and Patterson were the architects of the so-called “conservative resurgence” in the SBC that led conservative forces to capture control of all denominational entities in the latter part of the 20th century. During his tenure as seminary president, Patterson erected a new chapel on campus with dozens of stained glass windows immortalizing key figures in the conservative movement, including Pressler. Those windows were removed after Patterson was fired.
Rollins contends while Pressler was waging his battle for biblical inerrancy, he was sexually abusing Rollins and perhaps others.
Pressler, who is now 92 and in poor health, has denied all allegations of wrongdoing. However, documentation recently surfaced that shows leaders of First Baptist Church of Houston confronted Pressler about inappropriate behavior with a young man in 2004.
Related articles:
New court documents show First Baptist Houston leaders knew of allegations against Pressler in 2004
Judge throws out Jane Roe’s defamation case against Patterson and Southwestern Seminary
Part of former student’s case against Patterson and Southwestern dismissed by judge
Abuse case against Pressler may proceed, Texas Supreme Court rules