By Lonnie Wilkey
Editor, Baptist and Reflector
Kudos to Paige Patterson.
The former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has taken a lot of heat in recent weeks over comments he has made in the past about women and domestic violence.
Patterson was scheduled to deliver the annual convention sermon when the SBC meets next week in Dallas, Texas. Because he was elected to deliver the sermon, the only way that could not happen would be for him to voluntarily step down or for messengers to vote him out on the first day (June 12) of the annual meeting.
Former Southwestern Seminary President Paige Patterson. Photo by Adam Covington
For awhile, it looked like that might be the only way Patterson might not preach. But on June 8, Patterson sent a letter to SBC President Steve Gaines, saying he would step down from the sermon and also as chairman of an evangelism task force that Gaines had appointed him to a year ago.
I’m sure it was not easy for Patterson to make that decision, but he did the right thing.
Continue to pray for our convention next week. May God be glorified in everything that takes place.
