Paul Pressler’s former law partner, who has been accused of knowing about the Baptist powerbroker’s alleged abuse of young men and not reporting it, is running for the Texas House of Representatives and aspires to become speaker of the House,…
New speaker of the House once led never-opened Paul Pressler School of Law
After three weeks of chaos, the Republican majority in the House of Representatives finally elected a new speaker — Mike Johnson of Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District. While Johnson has served in Congress since 2017, and most recently held the position…
Patterson and Southwestern settle with Pressler’s accuser
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…
New court documents show First Baptist Houston leaders knew of allegations against Pressler in 2004
Leaders of First Baptist Church of Houston knew about Paul Pressler’s alleged inappropriate sexual activity with young men in 2004, according to correspondence from the church to Pressler obtained by the Texas Tribune. Journalist Robert Downen, writing for the Tribune,…
Ralph Elliott, author of Genesis commentary that began the SBC’s battle for the Bible, dies
Ralph Elliott, the seminary professor whose commentary on Genesis became symbolic of the battle over biblical literalism in the Southern Baptist Convention, has died at age 97. Elliott died Sunday, Oct. 23, in Paoli, Pa. A family funeral service was…
A Gen-Xer reflects on the progressive-conservative divorce in the former Southern Baptist Convention
I grew up in a family that worshipped the trinity: God, the Southern Baptist Convention and the Dallas Cowboys. I was born in Fort Worth, Texas, while my father was a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. By the time…
Guidepost report documents pattern of ignoring, denying and deflecting on sexual abuse claims in SBC
A few key leaders of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee repeatedly worked to stall, deny and control information about sexual abuse within the nation’s largest non-Catholic denomination, according to an independent investigation released Sunday, May 22. And almost coincidentally…
Abuse case against Pressler may proceed, Texas Supreme Court rules
A sexual abuse lawsuit against Southern Baptist leader Paul Pressler may proceed, despite claims by Pressler that the statute of limitations has expired, according to an April 1 ruling by the all-Republican Texas Supreme Court. News of the ruling first…
Pressler accuser still wants day in court
A Texas judge erred by dismissing a sexual abuse lawsuit against former Southern Baptist Convention leader Paul Pressler due to statutes of limitation, the alleged victim’s lawyer says in a new brief filed with the First Texas Court of Appeals.