Witness at meeting between Provost and Lopez speaks; condemns SWBTS; says actions against Robert Lopez were ‘Pathetic and Unacceptable.’
[Capstone Report] Joe Goodson ,a graduate of Southwestern’s M.Div. ’02, was at the meeting between SWBTS Provost Randy Stinson and Professor Robert Lopez. Goodson condemned the action of Southwestern in a strongly worded statement published on the Concerned Christian Citizens of Central Texas Facebook Page.
Goodson said, “This whole thing stinks of compromise on the part of my alma mater, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and of compromise at the expense of a brother in the Lord, Dr. Lopez, whose testimony is so extremely vital for this generation. This is pathetic and unacceptable.”
Not only was Goodson at the meeting between Lopez and Stinson, but Goodson followed up with an email to Stinson following the meeting. The email went unanswered.
Here is the text of the email to the seminary:
Dr. Stinson,
My name is Joe Goodson, and I am one of Dr. Bobby Lopez’s friends who accompanied him at the meeting in your office a few weeks ago. I have had a question since before that meeting that I would like to ask you. This is one question with a few layers, and it has stuck with me since the meeting. I would very much appreciate your answer, which will help me know the direction I need to take with this situation.
Since no support for Dr. Lopez was expressed during the meeting, only criticism of his handling of the situation, to what degree do you support him in his testimony and his stand? How much of your problem with him is because of the content of his message to the world: that homosexuality is not something one is born with and that a Christian is called to overcome this sin through the grace of God, as with any other sin? Is your problem with him due, in part at least, to the direction of some within the SBC to take a different stance on this issue? My conviction is that Dr. Lopez has a unique testimony that is extremely important for our generation to hear, and I deeply desire to know whether my alma mater’s current leadership shares this conviction. The things I have heard about your handling of this matter, and the things I heard and saw at that meeting, have left me questioning this.
I am aware that I do not know everything about the situation, and I do appreciate your letting us come into that meeting as outsiders. In fairness to you, I would like to hear your take on this part of the situation.
Thank you for your time and response in advance,
Joe Goodson
M.Div. ’02, SWBTS
According to Goodson, “Since I did not hear back from him (the Provost), I forwarded it to another seminary official and received no answer. I then called the provost’s office and spoke with his receptionist, who assured me that he would be calling me. He never did.”
Will the defenders of the Adam Greenway Administration at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary finally admit the truth?
Or, will they continue defending an administration that kowtows to Russell Moore and the ERLC? Remember: The Provost said the ERLC didn’t like Lopez.
Another question to ponder, is there more evidence to drop in this scandal?
[Editor’s Note: This article was written and first published at Capstone Report]
