FORT WORTH, Texas (BP) -- An attorney for terminated Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson issued a media release late Monday afternoon (June 4) defending Patterson against alleged "wide-spread misrepresentation and misinformation."
Among Fort Worth, Texas, attorney Shelby Sharpe's claims:
Former Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson, pictured here at a May 22 trustee meeting, was terminated by the seminary May 30. His attorney has issued a statement defending Patterson against alleged "misinformation."
Photo by Adam Covington
-- "No reasonable reading of" correspondence from Patterson's personal archives suggested former Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary student Megan Lively "reported a rape to Dr. Patterson" in 2003 when he was Southeastern's president "and certainly not that he ignored" such a report, "as is alleged."
-- "Dr. Patterson first learned of the charges that he allegedly did not report a rape at SEBTS during the May 22 board meeting" of Southwestern's trustees. "Dr. Patterson's response was that he had no recollection of a rape being reported to him."
-- During the May 22 Southwestern trustee meeting, "Dr. Patterson explained the full context" of a 2015 email concerning a rape allegation by a female student at the Fort Worth seminary, including his alleged statement that he wanted to meet with the accuser alone to "break her down." Patterson's explanation was "to the apparent satisfaction of the full board, as evidenced by the fact that the full trustee board voted to name Dr. Patterson 'president emeritus' instead of terminating him."
-- "Dr. Patterson flatly denies that private SEBTS archives were ever stolen," and his personal attorney has invited Southeastern to "join with him in having Peacemakers Ministries provide an arbitrator agreeable to both parties to decide the ownership of" disputed records "in accordance with 1 Corinthians 6, which prescribes how Christians are to settle disputes rather than using the secular court system."
Southeastern Seminary issued a June 4 statement in response to Sharpe's release, noting "SEBTS does not believe" official communications by Patterson while he was president "were maliciously removed from the property. However, we believe there is a misunderstanding on the part of the Pattersons and their attorney as to what is owned by SEBTS under the work for hire doctrine." Southeastern said it had not yet received a request to settle disputed documents through Peacemakers Ministries.
Baptist Press will publish an expanded report later today on the release by Patterson's attorney and Southeastern's response.
The full statement released by Shelby Sharpe follows.
Patterson attorney claims 'misrepresentation' of facts
Among Fort Worth, Texas, attorney Shelby Sharpe's claims:
Former Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson, pictured here at a May 22 trustee meeting, was terminated by the seminary May 30. His attorney has issued a statement defending Patterson against alleged "misinformation."
Photo by Adam Covington
-- "No reasonable reading of" correspondence from Patterson's personal archives suggested former Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary student Megan Lively "reported a rape to Dr. Patterson" in 2003 when he was Southeastern's president "and certainly not that he ignored" such a report, "as is alleged."
-- "Dr. Patterson first learned of the charges that he allegedly did not report a rape at SEBTS during the May 22 board meeting" of Southwestern's trustees. "Dr. Patterson's response was that he had no recollection of a rape being reported to him."
-- During the May 22 Southwestern trustee meeting, "Dr. Patterson explained the full context" of a 2015 email concerning a rape allegation by a female student at the Fort Worth seminary, including his alleged statement that he wanted to meet with the accuser alone to "break her down." Patterson's explanation was "to the apparent satisfaction of the full board, as evidenced by the fact that the full trustee board voted to name Dr. Patterson 'president emeritus' instead of terminating him."
-- "Dr. Patterson flatly denies that private SEBTS archives were ever stolen," and his personal attorney has invited Southeastern to "join with him in having Peacemakers Ministries provide an arbitrator agreeable to both parties to decide the ownership of" disputed records "in accordance with 1 Corinthians 6, which prescribes how Christians are to settle disputes rather than using the secular court system."
Southeastern Seminary issued a June 4 statement in response to Sharpe's release, noting "SEBTS does not believe" official communications by Patterson while he was president "were maliciously removed from the property. However, we believe there is a misunderstanding on the part of the Pattersons and their attorney as to what is owned by SEBTS under the work for hire doctrine." Southeastern said it had not yet received a request to settle disputed documents through Peacemakers Ministries.
Baptist Press will publish an expanded report later today on the release by Patterson's attorney and Southeastern's response.
The full statement released by Shelby Sharpe follows.
Patterson attorney claims 'misrepresentation' of facts