In the latest test of whether Southern Baptist–related colleges can be independently run, Tennessee state Baptists have reached an agreement to drop their lawsuit to regain control of the 4,800-student Belmont University in Nashville.
Belmont will provide the state organization a total of $11 million toward a ministry-endowment fund, and Tennessee Baptists will end their attempt to regain control, lost in 2004 when the school’s trustees acted to make it independent.