Wade Burleson

A theological conservative who holds to the plenary inspiration of Scripture, Burleson believes that the New Testament teaches leadership is based on one's gifts, not gender.[12] Christians for Biblical Equality awarded Burleson the International Priscilla and Aquila Award for his advocacy of gender equality.[13] Burleson used his blog to highlight the unjust firing of Dr. Shari Klouda, distinguished professor of Hebrew at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Klouda was released from service because she was a female teaching males the Scriptures, something deemed inappropriate by Paige Patterson, the new fundamentalist President of Southwestern Theological Seminary.[14]

The termination of Sheri Klouda would not have been publicly known except for it being highlighted on Burleson's blog.[15] Klouda eventually sued the seminary, claiming Paige Patterson "used his personal beliefs as a pretext for non-renewal of her employment and failure to recommend her for tenure."[16] Klouda told press at the time, "I don't think it was right to hire me to do this job, put me in the position where I, in good faith, assumed that I was working toward tenure, and then suddenly remove me without any cause other than gender."[17] Though Klouda earned her Ph.D. at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2002, and though she was elected by seminary trustees to her tenure-track position teaching Hebrew to seminary students at SWBTS, Paige Patterson claimed Klouda's hiring was "mistake" due to "a momentary lax of the (doctrinal) parameters" of the seminary.[16] Dr. Klouda would later write on Burleson's blog that "deep down I was scared" during her tenure at SWBTS due to the administration's harsh views regarding women.[18]

Burleson publicly question Dr. Al Mohler from the floor of the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention, asking the President of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary if he believed Joanna P. Moore sinned when she taught the Scriptures to pastors in the 1870s, urging them to abstain from their practice of drunkenness.[19] Burleson was a featured speaker at a rally for women during the 2018 Convention in Dallas, telling messengers that "The New Testament we say we believe teaches us Jesus Christ sets women free to serve, to lead, to minister."[20]

In May 2018, a woman who claimed to have been raped at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2003 reached out to Burleson and revealed that she had been asked by President Paige Patterson not to report the rape to law enforcement.[21] Burleson put the rape victim in contact with Sarah Pulliam Bailey, a former Christianity Today reporter who then worked for The Washington Post.[22] Pulliam's story entitled "Southern Baptist Leader Encouraged a Woman Not to Report Alleged Rape" was published in The Washington Post on May 22, 2018, and contributed to Patterson being removed from the platform of the 2018 Southern Baptist Convention and his eventual termination from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.[23]

Paul Young, author of The Shack, presented Papa (i.e. "God the Father") as an African American woman in his allegorical story illustrating the love of God. Burleson defended Young and his book The Shack.[24] Burleson eventually became friends with Young, and would later defend Paul Young against the charge of heresy when The Shack was turned into a major motion picture.[25]

Wade Burleson Speaking at the 2018 "For Such a Time As This" Rally in Dallas, Texas

In 2007, Burleson recommended the creation of a database to track sexually abusive ministers.[26] The Executive Committee of the Southern Baptist Convention eventually denied Burleson's motion, stating that it would be impossible to ensure that all convicted sexual predators who ever had a connection with a Baptist church would be included in such a database. The Executive Committee also said Burleson's recommendation would violate the autonomy of Southern Baptist churches, stating the convention does not have any authority to require local churches to report instances of alleged sexual abuse to their local association, the state Baptist convention, or the national convention.[27] Time magazine reported that the denial of Burleson's motion was one of "The 10 Most Under-Reported National Stories of 2008.[28]

In 2018, Burleson again proposed at the annual Southern Baptist Convention that the Convention establish a predator database. In response to the motion, new SBC President J.D. Greear and the Southern Baptist Convention's Executive Committee announced the formation of a Sexual Abuse Presidential Study Group.[29] The working group will “consider how Southern Baptists at every level can take discernible action to respond swiftly and compassionately to incidents of abuse." It will also make recommendations for creating safe environments in churches and institutions.[30]

On Sunday, February 10, 2019, the Houston Chronicle published the first of three parts of an investigative report covering over 700 victims of Southern Baptist sexual abuse entitled "Abuse of Faith"[31] Investigative reporter Robert Downen interviewed Burleson about his database proposal being rejected by SBC leaders, quoting Burleson as saying, ""There's a known problem, but it's too messy to deal with. It's not that we can't do it as much as we don't want to do it. ... To me, that's a problem. You must want to do it, to do it."[31]

Southern Baptist Convention President J.D. Greear stated at the 2019 SBC in Birmingham, Alabama, that a predator database to track sexual predators in the Southern Baptist Convention was on the table.[32]

In 2005, Burleson used his blog, Istoria Ministries, to identify what he called "the continuing narrowing of the doctrinal parameters of fellowship and cooperation in the area of missions and evangelism by demanding conformity and agreement on nonessential doctrines."[33][34] The International Mission Board trustees had passed two new doctrinal policies without approval of the convention, policies that forbade from missionary service otherwise qualified applicants who had been baptized in a church that was not Southern Baptist or admitted to using a private prayer language. Burleson believed the doctrinal policies were an attempt to remove Jerry Rankin as President of the International Board.[35] A majority of the trustees sought to remove Burleson as a trustee over his criticism of the new policies, but eventually removed their recommendation on realizing the Southern Baptist Convention had to approve their recommendation.[36] Nevertheless, at the 2006 Southern Baptist Convention in Greensboro, North Carolina, Frank Page, the Presidential candidate publicly supported by Burleson,[37] was surprisingly elected President of the Southern Baptist Convention.[38]

In May 2015, the International Mission Board trustees reversed the policies they had instituted in 2005.[39]

During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Burleson downplayed the severity of COVID-19 on social media platforms and in church. He made erroneous claims about fatality rate, transmission rate, and risk of severe and possibly lifelong health impacts. Once health experts recommended mask wearing to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the USA, Burleson falsely claimed they were ineffective, and dismissed the fact that presymptomatic individuals can spread SARS-CoV-2. [40] [41] He promoted COVID-19 conspiracy theories related to the pandemic (e.g. that COVID-19 was manufactured). [42]

In October 2020, shortly before the 2020 Presidential election, Burleson shared on his blog for whom he would vote. Burleson said he will vote according to the platform of each party. In part of his analysis,[43] Burleson said that the "Democratic platform promotes tyranny," citing a paragraph from a Democratic National Convention document that says "Democrats will act swiftly to stand up a comprehensive, national public health surveillance program for COVID-19 and future infectious diseases. We will recruit at least 100,000 contact tracers with support from trusted local organizations in the communities most at risk to help state and local health departments use culturally competent approaches to identify people at risk of contracting or spreading the coronavirus."[44] The cited paragraph is in reference to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Istoria Ministries Blog is listed as one of the Top 100 Christian blogs by Feedspot.

During the Trump presidency (2016-2020) Burleson became prone to sharing misinformation and conspiracy theories from the pulpit, as well as his blog Istoria Ministries and social media. In 2020 he became friends with known conspiracy theorist Dinesh D'Souza. Burleson gave D'Souza a platform at Emmanuel Baptist Church on November 8, 2020, where D'Souza talked about the recent presidential election, which was in direct violation of the Johnson Amendment. [45] Additionally, D'Souza used the platform to further spread conspiracy theories and misinformation relating to COVID-19 and American politics.