Former President Adam Greenway has threatened Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (SWBTS) with a $5 million lawsuit, saying their reporting of his mishandling of millions in seminary funds is exaggerated and humiliating. The SWBTS Board of Trustees expressed disappointment with the Sept. 25 letter, saying they had reached an agreement with Greenway in February.
“As stewards of precious institutional resources, we cannot in good conscience capitulate to his absurd demand for $5 million,” chair Jonathan Richard said in a statement. “Our focus remains on confronting the financial challenges facing Southwestern, which would only be compounded by agreeing to his demand.”
Greenway served three years, the shortest presidency in SWBTS history. He was dismissed in September 2022 after the allegations were made public.
Expenditures were “grossly inflated and false,” Greenway’s attorney said. That included reports of an espresso machine valued at more than $11,000, which became the subject of online jokes and at least one jocular reference from the platform at the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting. The actual cost of the machine, the lawyer said, is $5,952.67.
–with reporting by Baptist Press