"The settlement concludes a 56-year relationship between Belmont and the TBC and provides gifts by Belmont to Tennessee Baptists of $1,000,000 next year followed by annual payments of $250,000 for the next 40 years. These gifts are an expression of gratitude to Tennessee Baptists for the financial and spiritual support that they have provided to the University over the past five decades. The funds will be added to an endowment at the Tennessee Baptist Foundation to support Tennessee Baptist missions and ministries."The relationship with the Tennessee Baptist Convention is severed. I had hoped the the words of Philip Jett were true. In September of this year, Dr. Jett was quoted as saying, "money is not the object...the primary goal is to return Belmont to the Baptist fold." That didn't quite work out as some of us had hoped.
At least it is over. I am thankful that this page in history has turned and we have the opportunity to move forward as a convention without this dark cloud hanging over us.
2 comments:
I'm sure that on the TBC side of the equation money was NOT the object. But I'm glad that a monetary arrangement was reached when it was clear that Belmont wished to sever ties with the TBC.
I, too, would rather see the university maintain its Baptist heritage, but if they were unwilling to do so I felt they owed compensation to the TBC under the terms of previous arrangements.
I am saddened that we have allowed another cherished academic institution to leave. I do believe Belmont was worth the fight. Dr. Jett is indeed right, it is not about money, it is about theological integrity and the continuing secular drift of once cherished Baptist institutions.
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