This is good news, but it's important to note what happened here: (thread) https://www.baptistpress.com/resource-library/news/lifeway-reverses-course-in-dispute-pursues-resolution-with-rainer/

According to the legal documents and Dr. Rainer, there were TWO separate agreements. An retirement package with a non-compete clause related to his employment (standard), and then a subsequent publishing contract related to published works. Those are totally separate.

Dr. Rainer states he had a valid release of the publishing agreement. This is distinct from an employment-related non-compete clause. You can't enforce an employment non-compete clause against a publishing contract. They are different. Any attorney should have known this.

The announcement of the relationship with Tyndale came months ago. The signed release from Lifeway came quite a while before that.

One should be asking why the sudden action from Lifeway, months after the release and new engagement with Tyndale.

Anyone familiar with Dr. Rainer's work at Lifeway, his ministry, and the SBC in general should be looking a bit askance at the assertion that he simply disregards his contractual obligations and turns a deaf ear to pleas for reconciliation.

They should be asking even more questions given that this lawsuit appears to have been cobbled together quickly, and without noticing some of the Board members. Particularly since such an action exposes Lifeway to potential liability if they are making false claims.

And questions should be asked as well, because of the potential damage to the reputation, ministry and character of Dr. Rainer. Haven't we been told over and over that allegations against an elder should be approached with extreme care?

Most glaringly, we should note the rank hypocrisy when SBC leaders and entities often hurl these same silencing words at sex assault victims who have been raped by SBC pastors and professors, whose abuse was covered up and facilitated by SBC leaders, presidents and entity heads.

Over and over sexual assault victims are told "we can't say those allegations publicly. We can't do a public investigation, because we 'can't entertain a charge against an elder'" unless there are witnesses to your rape. And the rapist pastor/professor continues abusing. . .

But Lifeway leveled these accusations publicly, in court, not on behalf of Tiffany Thigpen, the survivor whom Jerry Vines slandered in his memoir, published by Lifeway, by writing that she had been inappropriate with known sexual predator Daryl Gilyard (when she was a young teen)

No, Lifeway made accusations publicly, in court over. . .money.

Over money.

When SBC Leaders over and over have turned away rape victims begging to be heard because we "have to be so careful hearing allegations against an elder".

Lifeway made accusations in court and invoked the protections of the civil justice system, when the SBC's main sex abuse educators (MinistrySafe) have publicly decried victims and attorneys who employ the civil justice system.

But Lifeway did it over money. Not over child rape.

There should be no more talk of how sexual assault survivors are "seeking to ruin a good man" or "bring down a ministry" or "expose the SBC to liability", when their own publishing arm just did the very same thing. To their own former President.

Over money.

There should certainly be no more talk like this about survivors when the SBC has refused to accept any responsibility for what their former presidents, or missions boards, or churches, or leaders, or publications have done, to sexual assault survivors.

There should be no more discussion, when SBC entity heads refused to engage with civil justice on behalf of survivors.

If we are going to avail ourselves of the avenues for civil justice, let it be on behalf of the downtrodden, the voiceless, the weak, and the wounded.

Let it be against institutions and leaders who abuse, manipulate and destroy the very flock they are to protect.

Let it not be on behalf of a corporation, and over money.

And to everyone who supported this action by Lifeway, perhaps start supporting survivors who need justice.