Frank Page, Moral Failure, Clergy Sexual Abuse, Southern Baptist Convention, Paige Patterson, #MeToo
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Yesterday’s Washington Post article, In a #Metoo moment, will Southern Baptists hold powerful men accountable?, by Jonathan Merritt, discussed how Southern Baptist leaders asking if the #MeToo moment has arrived for the Southern Baptist Convention. He was primarily discussing Paige Patterson and other Southern Baptist leaders who have used their positions of authority to harm women.
I missed it until an alert reader notified me this morning. In that article, Merritt mentioned Frank Page, former chief executive officer of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. If you recall, just over a month ago, Dr. Frank Page announced his retirement, and then followed up with a confession that he was really stepping down due to moral failure (see Frank Page, President of SBC’s Executive Committee, Resigns and Later Discloses Moral Failure).
We were left with questions about that moral failure. It was very vague. Was it with a prostitute, another man, a woman from his congregation? This is an important detail for people to know and how the SBC has handles the situation.
There was supposed to be an investigation done as was reported in this article, Southern Baptist leaders do not suspect ‘legal impropriety’ in Frank Page resignation:
But, they will be looking into the matter further, said Roger S. Oldham, the spokesman for the Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee. His comments were reported Monday afternoon by the Baptist Press, an official Southern Baptist publication.
“The Executive Committee will exercise due diligence to determine if anything has occurred that would require further action,” Oldham said.
Where are the results of this investigation? Are they public? I can’t find them anywhere.
Jonathan Merritt spilled the beans that the moral failure was with a female congregant:
The Patterson controversy comes less than a month after Frank Page casually announced his retirement as president and chief executive of the SBC Executive Committee. The next day, however, it was revealed that the resignation was precipitated by “a morally inappropriate relationship,” which reportedly involved a female congregant under his care at a church he previously pastored. The denomination responded with only a statement asking for prayers, “especially for Dr. and Mrs. Page.” In the chapel at Patterson’s seminary, the newly departed Page is depicted in honor on a stained-glass window. (Source)
Please notice the part where they were asking for prayers for Dr. and Mrs. Page. What about the victim? Where are the prayers for her? Who is caring for her? Or is she lost in the shuffle as we have seen time and again with cases like this.
When there is a sexual relationship between a church leader and a congregant, it is called clergy sexual abuse. This is illegal and criminal behavior in some states. It is abuse, plain and simple. There is no such thing as consent in a clergy/congregant relationship, just as their is no such thing as consent in an adult/child sexual relationship.
The Southern Baptist Convention needs to come clean on this!
Spiritual Sounding Board 
When news of this hit, I emailed Stephen Rummage, Executive Committee Chairman, and reminded him to not forget about the other person involved. I received a response from Mr. Rummage’s assistant, indicating that she’d make sure he saw my message. I’ve been “her,” I know the hell this woman is walking through, the guilt and shame, the trauma. We cannot forget about her!
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I wonder out loud how many improper activities have the leaders of the SBC covered up over the years? I am confident that they thought we would forget about Mr. Page.
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Good for you, Jessica. Thank you for your comment. I hope you have recovered from your experience. From my conversations with others, I know it’s not easy.
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Those windows again…Should we just skip a few steps and thoroughly investigate all of them for abuse?
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Julie Anne, yes, I have FINALLY recovered.
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This is getting to the point of “So What Else Is New?”
Stained Glass Windows of themselves and all.
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Another SBC luminary in stained glass at Southwestern’s chapel who’s been accused of sexual impropriety is Paul Pressler. He’s been accused of immoral acts with young men in various areas. I would sadly have to agree with Lea that having one’s image in stained glass there is not a bad proxy for sexual improprieties/abuse.
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Sooooo glad to hear it, Jessica. Truly!! 👏💕‼️
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Pray for… in this context is not that he would seek forgiveness from the congregant and from his wife and work towards reconciliation, but is a codeword for us, apparently, to think that he (and his FAMILY) have gone through enough trauma, so it’s time to move on.
It seems to be the same sentiment that Dr. Patterson mentioned when his FAMILY is being hurt by the “misrepresentation” on his statements. We’re supposed to feel guilty, if not for the fact that he is being dragged through the mud on this, that his dear innocent wife is as well. No mention of the victim. She probably got excommunicated long ago.
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I hope the victim of this abuse will read these comments and realize people are on her side.
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Me, too, Jean. She seems to be lost in this mess. We would sure support her, here, as we have other survivors of clergy sexual abuse.
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Agreed, Jean and Julie Anne. My heart breaks for her.
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I’m sorry, but this phrase by Merritt: “which reportedly involved a female congregant under his care at a church he previously pastored.” is meaningless. Who reported this? To whom did they report it? For the phrase to be believable, he’d need to say something like “A SBC leader who requested not to be identified told me…” or “a former congregant told Fred Smith…”
Personally, I reported right here that Page’s inappropriate was with offering plates. Do you all believe me when I now say “which reportedly involved offering plates”?
At this point, I still believe there was more than one victim, based upon Page’s own statement about THOSE (in addition to his family) he has hurt. This is not “reportedly” but the horse’s mouth. And AFAIK it could be men, women, or children, until Mr Merritt answers some questions.
And what’s he mean by “a church he previously pastored”? Mr Rummage said the inappropriate was in the “recent” past. Did Page recently change churches? If not, why does Merritt say “previously”?
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really not so black and white as you have presented in the consent argument. there are shades of grey. was there coercion? or manipulation involved? (underlying the possible criminality according to the law) tbh, pastors are ‘targets’ for the enemy to bring shame and blight to the christian faith. so we really don’t know the motives of the other party involved (victim or willing participant in some other type of nefarious scheme)….and we will never know enough details to make such accusations, apart from full disclosure of any investigation. no doubt she needs as much or more prayer than all of the others involved in this sad mess.
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