Would Paige Patterson Face Stricter Consequences if He Was Part of a Secular Institution?

In the wee hours of Wednesday morning, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary’s embattled president, Paige Patterson, was relieved of his duties following more than 13 hours of deliberation by the school’s board of trustees.

This may sound like a victory for those who criticized Patterson in recent weeks for his dangerous practices dealing with domestic abuse, sexist remarks about women and mismanagement of a rape allegation on his campus. And, in some ways, it is. The thousands of women who called for his resignation have been heard, and he has been forced to leave his post in shame.

When you think about it, Patterson’s departure was the ultimate irony. The man who spent his career making full-throated arguments for the submission of women was, in the end, taken down by women who decided they would tolerate his leadership no longer.

But after weeks of inaction, the board’s decision feels more like a celebrated send-off than a stiff censure. While they dismissed Patterson to save face under overwhelming pressure, he was also offered a pile of consolation prizes. Patterson will be honored with the title of president emeritus of Southwestern, for example. Both he and his wife, Dorothy, have been named theologian-in-residence. The couple will receive compensation from the school, and they will be allowed to live in the luxurious and spacious…