Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary president Paige Patterson speaks at a seminary commencement. (Matthew Miller / Provided by Baptist Press)

A controversial Southern Baptist seminary president has been removed from his post amid controversy surrounding his comments on women, domestic abuse and a teenage girl and an allegation he counseled a woman not to report a rape to police.

But Paige Patterson isn’t entirely out at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS). He will remain in a paid position of influence at the seminary and will live on campus in a $2.5 million library now under construction.

The trustees of SWBTS issued a statement early Wednesday stating a 13-hour meeting Tuesday led to the decision to “move in the direction of new leadership for the benefit of the future mission of the Seminary.”

The statement cited “challenges facing the Institution, including those of enrollment, financial, leadership and institutional identity,” but made no mention of Patterson’s past comments about women, the physical attractiveness of a teenage girl, domestic abuse or the allegation that was published Tuesday in The Washington Post that Patterson counseled a female seminary student to not report a rape to police in 2003.

In their statement, the trustees thanked Patterson for his service at SWBTS and his “longstanding dedication and commitment to serving the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Patterson was offered and accepted the position of president emeritus with compensation, which he accepted, according to the SWBTS statement. In addition, the trustees voted to uphold a previous offer for Patterson and his wife to live on campus as “theologians-in-residence” at the Baptist Heritage Center, a $2.5 million library, museum and residence scheduled to open in July.

The trustees also voted to affirm “evidence exists that Dr. Patterson has complied with reporting laws regarding assault and abuse” and that the seminary “stands against all forms of abuse.”

D. Jeffrey Bingham, dean of the seminary’s school of theology, was appointed to the position of interim president, according to the statement.

Background to the rape allegation

In an article published by The Post while the trustees were meeting Tuesday, an unnamed woman told The Post she was raped in 2003 while she was pursuing a ministry degree at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, N.C., where Patterson was then president.

A man reported by The Post as having been the alleged assailant’s roommate at the time said the woman told him of the assault not long after it allegedly occurred. The woman also provided to The Post an email from Southeastern’s dean of students referencing the alleged assault, The Post reported.

The woman said she reported the rape to a seminary administrator, who then reported it to Patterson, according to The Post.

The woman said Patterson met with her, along with several male seminarians, but Patterson and administrators did not report the incident to police and encouraged her also to not report the rape, The Post reported.

The woman said Patterson told her to forgive the alleged assailant, according to The Post.

In an April 9, 2003, letter, the seminary’s dean told the woman she “would be put on probation after the incident, with suspension or expulsion as possible next steps if there were subsequent behavior the school deemed inappropriate,” The Post reported.

The woman remained on probation at the seminary for two years, until she left the school in 2005, The Post reported.

The woman said she did not previously report or publicize her allegations because of Patterson’s reputation in the SBC and the respect she then held for his position, The Post reported.

And, the woman said she’s since forgiven the alleged rapist, The Post reported.

The Post said Patterson, Southwestern spokesman Charles Patrick and the alleged rapist did not respond to several requests for comment before the story was published.

An attorney for Southeastern, George H. Harvey, told The Post the seminary “is conducting an internal review of the 2003 incident,” The Post reported.

Background on earlier controversy

Controversy surrounding Patterson rose in late April after an audio clip surfaced of a 2000 interview on domestic abuse and divorce.

In the interview, Patterson said divorce is “always wrong counsel,” and he related an incident in which he advised an abused woman to kneel beside her bed and pray for her husband.

“‘Get ready, because he may get a little more violent when he discovers this,’” Patterson recalled telling the woman. “And sure enough, he did. She came to church one morning with both eyes black.”

Patterson said he was happy about the incident, because the husband came to church the next day and repented. He held it up to abused women as an example of the power of prayer.

“When nobody else can help, God can,” Patterson said, “and in the meantime you have to do what you can at home to be submissive in every way you can and to elevate him.”

Circulating with the audio clip was a video from a revival conference in 2014, in which Patterson joked about a teenage girl being “built,” saying “she wasn’t more than about 16, but let me just say, she was nice.”