After discovering this information, Tom and Jennifer Buck urged SEBTS president Danny Akin to launch a third-party investigation into the faculty members’ involvement, to which Akin agreed. However, on Wednesday, Akin published the seminary’s findings from an internal investigation, which had remained ongoing while the parties involved continued discussions regarding the scope and parameters of possible third-party involvement.
“Since initial allegations were raised, SEBTS has continued its investigation. It has searched electronic records (emails and cell phone records) and has had extensive conversations with those involved. Nothing was discovered to indicate that any staff at SEBTS were involved in the sharing of the essay or in any attempt to blackmail Dr. Buck,” the statement said. “We did not find any emails or evidence to suggest it had been sent to any other individual or entity since Dr. Prior’s employment began at SEBTS in July 2020.”
The statement further revealed that the source of the leak threats, an unnamed couple, confessed their actions to lawyer and abuse survivor advocate Rachael Denhollander, who had been mediating between SEBTS and the Bucks.
“On June 8, 2022, SEBTS was informed that an anonymous couple had reached out to Rachael Denhollander to take responsibility for the attempted use of the Buck’s article draft as retaliation for Pastor Buck’s raising concerns related to an individual at Willy Rice’s church,” the statement said. “This couple provided corroborating information to validate that they were the original actors and that they acted alone.”
Considering the matter resolved, SEBTS said, “Based on this information and the efforts that SEBTS has undergone in reviewing and attempting to retrieve any helpful information related to this matter, we believe it is no longer necessary to participate in an independent inquiry.”
While SEBTS offered statements of apology for how the school failed to immediately notify Tom and Jennifer Buck after being contacted by the unnamed couple, SEBTS cleared Prior and Whitfield of any involvement in a coordinated attack on the Bucks’ reputation.
“While this part of the series of events could have been handled better, SEBTS believes and supports Drs. Prior and Whitfield based on their testimony, evidence obtained and searched for, and outside corroborating information noted above that neither were involved in the effort to disparage or blackmail Dr. Buck,” the statement said.
Speaking to the current political climate of the Southern Baptist Convention that precipitated these events, SEBTS said, “We are especially disheartened by the hurt that this has brought to Jennifer Buck through this entire ordeal. We pray that the couple and the Bucks would be able to come together and seek forgiveness and reconciliation so that closure can be achieved in this matter, especially for the Bucks.”
After the statement was released, Tom Buck tweeted about his ongoing frustration with SEBTS and Akin in particular.
