291: Paige Patterson
Paige Patterson is a Baptist religious leader who was a big part of the conservative takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention and served as the president of the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Typical of conservative fundamentalists, he opposed the ordination of women. He bragged about telling a woman to stay with her abusive husband because the husband started going to church.
He was sued in 2018 for his part in covering up Paul Pressler’s sexual assaults, but was dropped because of the statute of limitations. Southwestern had him step down and made him President Emeritus. Later in the year, an investigation of the rape of a woman on campus revealed his email to campus security telling them he wanted to meet with the woman alone to “break her down.” He was then completely fired, no more emeritus title and benefits.
In 2019, a woman sued for his abuse and intimidation when she reported being repeatedly raped.by another student. She claimed to be the woman he wanted to break down. He threatened the woman’s mother with legal action for asking why the alleged rapist was still allowed on campus. He told the police that the rape was consensual sex. He told her the rape was a “good thing,” Since then he has given speeches that imply women lie about rape. He has been elected to boards and given posts by belligerently misogynist churches. Patterson claims she never told him.
