More details emerge from Adam Greenway lawsuit against Southwestern Seminary
The complaint says the seminary president had to reside in a presidential home provided by the seminary that was in a state of disrepair and contaminated with mold.
More details have emerged from a lawsuit filed by Adam Greenway, the former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS), which alleges that his reputation was severely damaged due to a defamatory campaign led by the institution and its former trustee board chair. Filed on March 20, 2024, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, the lawsuit claims that specific false statements and a narrative were published that created a substantially false and defamatory impression of Greenway.
Among other things, the complaint says that Greenway was forced to reside in a presidential home provided by the seminary in a state of disrepair and contaminated with mold, resulting in it being unfit for habitation. This situation is said to have arisen from the actions of Greenway’s predecessor, Paige Patterson, who allegedly left the home in poor condition.
Greenway’s lawsuit asserts that the defamation has been widely publicized resulting in significant damage to his reputation and making him unemployable.
Specific allegations regarding the condition of the president’s home when the Pattersons left it are mentioned in the suit, including the removal of the majority of furnishings and décor. The controversy over the expenditures made to repair and restore the president’s home, including the alleged purchase of an $11,000 espresso machine and more than $1.5 million in renovations to Pecan Manor, the school’s on-campus presidential residence, has been a point of contention. These details were part of a report on Southwestern’s finances, which detailed $140 million in overspending across 20 years, much of it under the leadership of Greenway’s predecessor, Patterson.
The purchase of the espresso machine and the repairs to the presidential home went viral on social media and overshadowed the school’s larger financial issues. The expenses became a joke at the annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention last summer in New Orleans, the Religion News Service reported.
In a question-and-answer session about the agency he leads, Kevin Ezell, president of SBC’s North American Mission Board, stated, “I own my own home, have a Keurig, and go to Hobby Lobby for my Christmas decorations.” The comments resulted in laughter from thousands of local church representatives and guests in the meeting hall, reported the Religion News Service.
The suit accuses the defendants of negligence and acting with actual malice or a reckless disregard for the truth. It seeks compensation for defamation of character, claiming that the defendants created a false and defamatory impression that Greenway had mismanaged seminary funds for personal benefit.
Additionally, the complaint alleges that Texas megachurch pastor Jack Graham, longtime Southern Baptist leader O.S. Hawkins, and Southwestern Trustee Board Chair Danny Roberts disagreed with Greenway and sought his removal as president.
In February 2023, the school and Greenway signed a confidential settlement to end the conflict between the two parties. The school agreed to pay Greenway $229,500, to repost his sermons as president online and to return books and his missing recliner.
Greenway promised to return files from his time as president and gave up any future rights to legal action against the school. Leaders at Southwestern also gave up future rights to sue. Each side agreed not to make any “false and disparaging” statements about the other. They also agreed to issue a statement saying their disagreement was settled amicably.
The complaint alleges that the statement was not issued publicly or posted on the Southwestern’s website. Additionally, the statement was sent to Baptist Press, the official publication of the SBC, but was not published. Brandon Porter, associate vice president for convention news, said in a Baptist Press story about the lawsuit that it chose not to publish the statement or a story about it without additional context or comments.
The lawsuit follows a demand letter sent by Greenway’s attorney last fall, threatening a $5 million lawsuit, which was not filed. The current suit does not specify an exact amount but indicates that Greenway is seeking damages above $75,000, which is the baseline for federal court. The compensation sought includes actual and exemplary damages, past and future economic loss, attorneys fees, statutory and civil penalties, and other proper relief.
In response to the lawsuit, Southwestern Seminary has categorically denied the allegations, stating that they will defend the institution vigorously and are confident that the outcome will demonstrate that the claims are entirely baseless. The seminary expressed regret that Greenway is suing the institution he previously claimed to love and highlighted that his lawyer turned down multiple invitations to inspect the evidence supporting the public statements previously made by the seminary.
The legal battle is the latest development in a series of long-term fiscal woes faced by the seminary, and it underscores the ongoing challenges within the institution. The outcome of this lawsuit will likely have significant implications for both Greenway and the seminary.
Sources: Court filing, baptiststandard.com, baptistnews.com, baptistpress.com, religionnews.com