Baptist Briefs: Judge green-lights settlement

Judge green-lights Kentucky lawsuit settlement. A federal judge ruled a Baptist child-care agency at the center of a long-running legal dispute between Kentucky lawmakers and citizens represented by the ACLU and Americans United for Separation of Church and State cannot block a settlement of the lawsuit agreed upon by the involved parties. Sunrise Children’s Services, formerly known as Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children, claimed settlement of the 13-year-old lawsuit over taxpayer funding of religious organizations would burden the Kentucky Baptist Convention agency with requirements not placed on other providers of social services that contract with the state. U.S. District Judge Charles Simpson, however, ruled nothing in the settlement prevents future litigation to resolve any remaining First Amendment claims. A portion of the settlement that requires specific monitoring of Sunrise Children’s Services for compliance is something that would be voluntarily assumed if the agency chooses to enter into future contracts with the Commonwealth.

British Baptists elect first female general secretary. Lynn GreenLynn Green, 48, a regional minister in the Baptist Union of Great Britain, recently was elected the union’s general secretary by the Baptist Assembly. The first woman to hold the post, she replaces Jonathan Edwards, who steps down in July after seven years. Green, regional minister for the Southern Counties Baptist Association, was the nominating group’s unanimous choice. She assumes office in September.

Louisiana College retains president. After a daylong meeting, Louisiana College trustees voted to retain Joe Aguillard as president of the private school affiliated with the Louisiana Baptist Convention. “After a long, thorough investigation, the board has exonerated Dr. Aguillard of all allegations that were brought forward in the whistleblower complaints,” board Chairman Gene Lee said. Two vice presidents reportedly filed a 13-page whistleblower complaint accusing the president of misappropriating funds and intentionally deceiving administrators and trustees. An independent investigation by a New Orleans law firm found Aguillard “engaged in falsehoods and misrepresented material information to the board of trustees on countless occasions.” A special committee appointed to investigate decided by a 4-3 vote that Aguillard “had not acted improperly.” 

Vote to retain Virginia church brings backlash. Richmond Baptist Association’s March vote not to oust a church for ordaining a gay minister has prompted a number of members to leave the association or consider doing so, renewing suggestions the congregation at the center of the controversy should withdraw voluntarily for the good of the whole. In the seven weeks since messengers narrowly voted to retain the membership of Ginter Park Baptist Church, five of the association’s original 69 congregations have withdrawn membership and another 11 are “seriously reviewing” their affiliation, said Michael Robinson, associational director of missions. Those 16 congregations collectively represent about $250,000 in contributions, he said—nearly 40 percent of the association’s annual budget of $626,000.