From the Houston Chronicle: SBC President cautions churches about hosting disgraced leader Paige Patterson
“Trustees terminated Paige Patterson for cause, publicly disclosing that his conduct was ‘antithetical to the core values of our faith,’ ” Greear told the Chronicle. “I advise any Southern Baptist church to consider this severe action before having Dr. Patterson preach or speak and to contact trustee officers if additional information is necessary.”
and
“Southern Baptist churches must take our mutual accountability to each other more seriously than we have in the past,” he said. “If our system of governance means anything, it means exercising due diligence and heeding what those whom we put in positions of trustee oversight have reported about official misconduct.”
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No elected SBC officer speaks for all Southern Baptists but when the president addresses any current controversy, it is both newsworthy and significant. While making public statements about such things is not part of the SBC President’s constitutional duties, he does have a significant public platform for doing so.
Reactions range from vein popping apoplexy to “it’s about time.”
Autonomy is invoked on both sides. I’ve read comments that “the SBC” must have some standards for ministers who speak in our churches. I’ve also read that Greear is meddling, trying to intrude on a local church’s autonomy.
The 47, 456 churches in friendly cooperation with the Southern Baptist Convention may employ whomever they wish. They may host whomever they wish. That’s autonomy and JD’s words don’t change one thing.
Let’s see if any level of SBC life proposes that churches who host Paige Patterson be excluded.
