Fort Worth鈥檚 Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary announced Sept. 9 that it agreed to settle a lawsuit filed by its former president, Adam Greenway.
The move comes six months after Greenway filed a against the school, alleging that the seminary and the chair of the board of trustees defamed him after details of the seminary鈥檚 spending spurred among current and former school leadership.
Nearly a year after Greenway , trustees criticized his spending in a June 2023 alongside the release of the school鈥檚 financial overview. The former president was accused of spending $1.5 million on renovations to the president鈥檚 home, nearly $60,000 on Christmas decorations and over $11,000 on an espresso machine.
Greenway, who originally sought damages 鈥渋n excess of $75,000,鈥� alleged in the lawsuit that the seminary violated the terms of a February 2023 non-disparagement agreement and made him 鈥渦nemployable.鈥�
The lawsuit was set to go to in April 2025. However, on the eve of his deposition, Greenway 鈥渙ffered to drop his lawsuit with no monetary consideration in return,鈥� according to a Sept. 9 from the school.
鈥淲e believe the manner of this resolution not only vindicates the seminary, it further demonstrates the allegations made in the lawsuit were without merit,鈥� the school鈥檚 statement read.
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and Greenway also issued a joint Sept. 9 as part of the settlement agreement.
鈥淭he trustees and Dr. Greenway are looking forward to putting this matter behind us and moving on to focus our energies and efforts on following God鈥檚 plans for the next chapters of our respective lives and ministries. We pray that God will richly bless the Greenway family as well as Southwestern Seminary in the years ahead,鈥� the Sept. 9 said.
In his own Sept. 10 , Greenway wrote that although he is 鈥済rateful鈥� that a joint statement has been issued, he 鈥渄isagree(s) strongly with the Seminary鈥檚 characterizations of the motivations behind or the meaning of the settlement.鈥�
As part of the settlement, Greenway 鈥渨aives and releases and promises never to assert any and all claims鈥� he has or might have in the future against the seminary, its leadership and related entities associated with the school.
The seminary and Danny Roberts, the chairman of the school鈥檚 board of trustees, also 鈥渨aive and release and promise never to assert any and all claims鈥� against Greenway.
The seminary agreed to ship Greenway鈥檚 boxed personal property still at the school to him as part of a prior 2023 separation agreement following his resignation. Greenway would be responsible for paying all shipping and delivery costs.
While the lawsuit has been settled, the seminary is still looking for solutions to recover from a that caused the institution to receive a from its accreditor in June 2023.
The warning followed a report from school leadership that revealed the seminary had accumulated a deficit between 2002 and 2022. The report placed blame on Greenway鈥檚 three-year tenure as president.
The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges placed the seminary on a two-year monitoring period and will issue a report on the school鈥檚 status each year. Accreditors released their June 20, where the commission kept the seminary on for issues related to financial resources and institutional financial responsibility.
Accreditors can place institutions on warning status for a maximum of two consecutive years. Failure to make 鈥渁dequate progress toward compliance鈥� at any time during the two-year period may result in the commission placing the seminary on probation for a maximum of two consecutive years, according to the commission鈥檚 sanctions .
The commission has the power to take away accreditation at any time, but removal from membership usually occurs after 鈥減ersistent or significant noncompliance,鈥� according to its policy.
The next update on the seminary鈥檚 accreditation status is expected in June 2025.
Marissa Greene is a Report for America corps member, covering faith for the Fort Worth Report. You can contact her at marissa.greene@fortworthreport.org or . At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy .
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