Top Baptist Professor: Al Mohler’s Strong-Arm Tactics Are ‘Sub-Christian’

Renowned Baptist scholar rebukes Al Mohler’s Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) for its attempt to muzzle employees with secret agreements. Dr. Robert Gagnon said Christians should not be forced to decide between feeding their family and conscience.

Prominent Houston Baptist University scholar Dr. Robert Gagnon blasted Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (SBTS) over news that Dr. Al Mohler’s seminary forced scholars into a choice between a few months of severance in exchange for permanent silence or to refuse the offer and stand on principle. Dr. Russell Fuller and Dr. Jim Orrick chose principle over dollars.

“It seems to me that forcing faithful colleagues to make a choice between ‘feed my family’ and ‘violate my conscience’ is morally repugnant and ethically sub-Christian,” Dr. Gagnon said on Facebook. “It stinks. Those who have had to face such a choice know what I am talking about.”

Gagnon said such action was worthy of liberal denominations.

“I am appalled by Evangelical Christian use of Non-Disclosure Agreements to prevent further discussion of concerns. I expect this of left-wing ‘liberal’ denominational structures, not Evangelical institutions,” Dr. Gagnon said on Facebook. “It gives the appearance of being hush money. A professor who has served faithfully for 22 years should not be forced to muzzle himself and violate conscience as a condition for receiving even a couple of months of salary (hardly sufficient) to help his family out during this difficult time.” 

Gagnon said this applies whether one agrees with Dr. Fuller’s critiques of SBTS professors. Dr. Fuller charged that Provost Matthew Hall, Dr. Jarvis Williams and former professor Curtis Woods promoted Critical Race Theory (CRT) at SBTS. Fuller also alleged that Dr. Dominick Hernandez promoted views that held the non-historicity of Job and that the Book of Job contradicted other parts of Scripture. Lastly, Dr. Fuller alleged Dr. Jonathan Pennington taught postmodernism in biblical hermeneutics.

Gagnon said Dr. Fuller comes off in a better light than the SBTS administration.

“Irrespective of whether Professors Fuller and Orrick are right or wrong in their accusations (or somewhere in between), they come across by their actions in not signing the NDA as having more courage and integrity, not to mention deserving of more sympathy,” Gagnon said.

Gagnon encouraged Christians to give in support of a GoFundMe setup for Drs. Fuller and Orrick by Dr. Tom Ascol.

“I encourage good Christians everywhere, including administrators and professors at Southern who disagree with the two professors who were terminated and did not sign an NDA, to contribute to the GoFundMe on their behalf. Please behave like Christians,” Gagnon said.

You can give here.