DALLAS (ABP) — The Baptist General Convention of Texas Executive Board voted to take steps to renegotiate the relationship agreement between the state convention and Baylor University.
At its May 24 meeting in Dallas, the board directed Associate Executive Director Steve Vernon to invite Baylor University President Ken Starr to develop a process for renegotiating the agreement.
The action, which came in response to Baylor’s decision in February to allow non-Baptist Christians on its board of regents, passed without opposition.
However, the language of a report brought by the nine-member task force regarding Baylor sparked extended discussion during a question-and-answer session with two university regents.
In February, the executive board directed Chair Debbie Ferrier to appoint a task force to consider the relationship between the BGCT and Baylor. The committee met twice — once with Baylor officials and regents and once to develop a response.
In its report — presented to the executive board as information — stated: “The task force expresses its profound and deep disappointment that Baylor University acted unilaterally in changing the agreement between the BGCT and Baylor. While we recognize the right expressed in the agreement for Baylor to change its bylaws, we believe that the current agreement was intended, from its inception, to contain substantive obligations and covenants incumbent upon each party to respond.”
The task force report specifically cited one provision in the agreement — “No amendment to this agreement shall be effective unless the amendment is in writing and lawfully executed by both parties.”
The report said the “spirit of the agreement” expressed in that provision “has not been observed in good faith by Baylor’s board of regents.”
The task force expressed its desire for a renegotiated agreement between the BGCT and Baylor “in light of current circumstances and without precondition, with a view toward presenting a revised agreement for consideration by the executive board at its September meeting.”
The report noted two items for special consideration: funding and representation.
“The BGCT and Baylor should agree on strategic funding that is mutually beneficial for shared interests," the report said. "Texas Baptists have historically given to the Baptist General Convention of Texas to fund Texas institutions to support ministries of interest to Texas Baptists, of whose interests we bear a responsibility of ongoing stewardship.”
It also called for revisiting policies and guidelines under which BGCT-elected regents are selected for the Baylor board of regents.
After the vote, Baylor Regents Chair Dary Stone and David Harper, a member of the board of regents, addressed the executive board.
“We are happy to engage in dialogue with the BGCT regarding our relationship. We want a healthy and strong relationship with the BGCT,” said Harper, an attorney and member of Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas.
However, Harper expressed concern about the language of the task force report — particularly the “profound and deep disappointment” expressed and the conclusion the regents did not act “in good faith.”
“From my own perspective, I believe we came to the decision very thoughtfully, prayerfully and deliberately,” he said, noting the regents’ expressed desire to advance the university’s Christian mission and to build in safeguards to protect the school’s distinctively Christian identity.
“It’s hurtful to us,” he said, concerning any suggestion the regents failed to act in good faith. “We’re on a faith journey.”
Harper and Stone noted Baylor regents had been as open as possible regarding their intentions, within the bounds of confidentiality. They pointed to conversations regents had with former BGCT Executive Director Randel Everett long before the university board acted, as well as subsequent contact with BGCT Executive Board staff leaders at the time of the regents’ decision.
“We really thought we had laid a good ground work for what we tried to do,” Stone said. “Clearly, that was not universally received that way.”
Ken Camp is managing editor of the Baptist Standard.