One year ago this week, Southwestern Seminary found itself in the middle of another controversy when five professors from the School of Preaching — two of whom* served on the Board of Trustees that brought Paige Patterson to the Fort Worth school, one of whom is the SBC convention parliamentarian, and another who is the Vice President of Student Services — posted a now infamous photo of themselves dressed in what was regarded as racially insensitive attire.  Barry McCarty was holding a gun.

The whole thing went viral. Locally and nationally.

It brought unwanted attention to the school. It was embarrassing for many.

I watched the whole thing unfold from Washington, D.C. I kept up with the local and national news.

And then, I decided to email Paige. He responded within minutes.

I will let the email speak for itself.

*Matthew McKellar also served on the 2017 SBC Committee on Resolutions under appointment by SBC President Steve Gaines. That committee, as we have noted before, nearly botched the resolution offered by Rev. Dwight McKissic condemning the alt-right. I remain disturbed that McKellar had opposed the resolution in committee given the fact that he had been so thoroughly and publicly chastened for racial insensitivity in weeks leading up to the convention.