Why I have become the Southern Baptist Convention's Biggest Critic

Graduation Picture,

Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

May, 2014

As much as my Southern Baptist opponents do not want to admit it, I was a student at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) from 2008-2014. I worked very hard to earn several academic scholarships and make the Dean's List there. I did in fact graduate with a degree in Humanities from the College at Southwestern this past May.

I also served as the President of SWAG, (The Southwestern Apologetics Group). I have since moved to the east coast after graduating, but have a lot to say about what is transpiring at SWBTS and the SBC. My time at SWBTS was very, very difficult. In fact, it became a nightmare as I observed the controversial actions of Dr. Paige Patterson, a disciple of W.A. Criswell and one of the leading figures in the hostile takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention during the 1980's and 1990's.

During my entire time as a student, I had to lay very low and bite my tongue as I observed the culture of extreme Southern Baptist fundamentalism on surreal display at SWBTS. This was especially the case during our mandatory chapel services because I was not in agreement of Patterson's militant form of odd fundamentalism, patriarchalism, anti-Calvinism and other controversial things he often taught in an ad-hoc style in chapel.

 I often gagged at the surreal and oppressive cult of personality Patterson has erected around himself at SWBTS and have decided to use this blog to communicate my opposition to Paige Patterson and many of his militant followers in the SBC. I will have a lot to say about my time at SWBTS in my upcoming book that explains in full detail, why I believe Patterson's version of Southern Baptist fundamentalism is destructive and dividing the SBC.

I am also the student that blew the whistle and caused a national controversy over Paige Patterson's decision to allow a non-Christian student to enroll as a Ph.D. student at SWBTS. I believe this decision violated the charter of SWBTS and demonstrated for all to see that Paige Patterson basically calls all the shots at SWBTS not the Board of Trustees.

As a student on the verge of graduation, I had  grown concerned about the manner Patterson went about doing this and contacted Burleson through some back channels out of fear of being expelled.

 But now, as a graduate and alumnus of SWBTS, I have earned the right to speak out against issues and surreal dogma I have observed first hand during my student days. I will pull no punches in describing the fundamentalist nightmare I personally witnessed there.

Over the years I have become concerned about many other things transpiring nationwide in the SBC and I have become the Southern Baptist Convention's biggest critic because I believe the militant and repressive fundamentalism of many of its leaders is destructive and is adversely effecting it's witness to the secular world.

I also want to go down on record that I do not believe that animals killed in big game hunting events should be on display in the President's Office and in the Naylor Student Center. I have a great concern for animals and am offended by this.

I have a lot to say about many of these issues and more and you can log on to this blog to read my thoughts about why I believe major systemic and theological changes need to transpire in the SBC.

2015 should be an interesting year in the Southern Baptist Convention. My book will be controversial and should be debated in many circles in the SBC.