When VOL (then Virtuosity) broke that story in 2003, we discovered that it was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Beneath the stormy academic waves lay a mountain of ice that had dysfunction, sin and more written all over it.

Instead of murder, you have a dean dying in office because of the stress of his job. A report prepared by a conflict management specialist from the Alban Institute concluded that it was the worst scapegoat situation he had ever encountered and the worst case of a dysfunctional institution he had ever known in all his experience.

For Lytle, the issue was the advent of theological liberalism at the seminary, the college's stark embrace of views at odds with the plain teaching of Holy Scripture, and bringing in teachers who no longer accepted the authority of Scripture. Among the worst of them was the now retired Dr. Joseph Monti.

At the center of the storm, for the past 11 years, was the strong, able figure of Dean Guy Lytle III, who came under repeated hostile fire from a number of theologically liberal faculty who wanted him removed from the University of the South's seminary because of his orthodox views.

"He is a strong leader and poses a threat to the increasingly post-modernist, theologically liberal faculty who no longer adhere to Scripture as normative for the church's life and practice," said a trustee and former student of the seminary. Certain theologically liberal faculty pitted themselves against the Dean, the worst offender being Professor Joe Monti Associate Professor of Christian Ethics and Moral Theology, Virtuosity was told. Monti, a former Roman Catholic priest has never converted to the Episcopal Church. He divorced his first wife and later married Patricia Templeton, one of his students who became an Episcopal priest, causing eyebrows to be raised at the time.

The problems at the seminary are not simply theological in nature; they are also administrative in character. Over a period of 18 years, the seminary has "eaten up" six Deans, with one, Terry Holmes, dying of a stress related aneurysm while on the job at the age of 50. John Booty, his successor, lasted a year and a half. Bob Giannini stayed for four years. Guy Lytle lasted the longest at 11 years, but was eventually edged out over allegations of sexual impropriety. He was forced to step down as dean but still retains his post as a faculty teacher. All six Deans left the seminary well before retirement because of the dysfunctional character of the School of Theology. The other two deans included the retired bishop of Louisiana, Girault Jones, now deceased, and Don Armentrout, a Lutheran, who is Professor of Church History. He had two terms as interim Dean.

Former professors, students and several bishops told Virtuosity at the time that Dean Lytle was yet another example of a man who, in showing strong leadership, paid the ultimate price by crossing faculty who did not share his theological outlook and administrative style. As a result, he got the push.

Questioned on the seminary's seemingly endless and irresolvable problems, university President and then vice-chancellor Joel Cunningham told VIRTUOSITY, "This is a time of strong feeling, deep reflection, and hard work in Sewanee's School of Theology. Our goal is to serve our Lord and the Church faithfully and well. Seminarians, faculty, staff, Regents, and administrators are working to answer the call to wise discernment and faithful service, and to address differences that exist among us. We seek to serve the broad whole of the Episcopal Church, and, in this, the community includes a wide range of voices and views. We believe this is as it should be, but it is also essential that we exemplify more fully the virtues of grace and mutual support."

Problems at the seminary had been building for more than 20 years. In 2002, they reached a climax with Cunningham being forced to bring in a consultant from the Alban Institute to take a hard look at the dysfunctional character of the seminary.

Roy M. Oswald, an orthodox Lutheran priest who worked for the Alban Institute, had nearly three decades of experience in conflict management and conflict resolution, came to the seminary where he interviewed all 18 members of the seminary faculty. He prepared a report on the situation at Sewanee. In an e-mail to VIRTUOSITY, he wrote, "There was much conspiracy to getting Guy Lytle out of there. Joe Monti is the leader of the pack, but he has co-opted certain other faculty members. It is clearly a scapegoat kind of situation. It was the most dysfunctional group I have ever worked with."

Oswald's conclusions reveal a seminary in such deep conflict, that he concluded it would take months to fully resolve them. "I saw the faculty in action. I saw how destructive they were," he said.

Some of the criticisms of Dean Lytle included the following. "The Dean is not well physically. He did take off some weight while on a leave of absence, but he seems to have put it all back on. Sometimes we take bets as to when he is going to keel over and die."

Or this.

"There is a major conflict between the Dean and one faculty member. The two of them come wired to fight each other." -The Dean needs to consult with other faculty members more. He tries too hard and feels he has to do it all himself. He needs to delegate more. As a result he overworks and then ends up doing stupid things. When he does delegate he really needs to turn it over to others and not change the decisions that are made." -"The Dean likes to be father bountiful."

At the same time, a number of the 18 faculty interviewed had good things to say about Dean Lytle.

What follows are a few direct quotes.

"Dean Lytle has the intellectual ability to be an effective Dean."

"Some of the conflicts between the Dean and some faculty members are blown out of proportion."

"Whenever I go talk to the Dean about a problem, we are always able to work it out. We have never had a problem in this regard."

"Working with some faculty is like dealing with prima donnas. They will never be easy to work with." "This seminary has a reputation for killing its Deans."

"There was a time when the seminary was viewed as a drain on the University. Guy Lytle needs to get credit for this not being the case currently. This seminary pays its own way with the University."

"When things get critical, we, as a faculty, can come together and make solid decisions."

"Dean Lytle needs to get some credit for the fact that we are close to double the size we were 5 years ago. We used to have classes here that averaged 15 students. Now it is not unusual for us to have 38 in a class."

Oswald noted that throughout the 18 interviews, positive things were said about Dean Lytle. "The difference between some interviews was like night and day. Even those who were not favorably disposed to the Dean had positive things to say about what he has contributed to this seminary. A number of faculty members view Dean Lytle as a normal, healthy, functioning Dean. They saw no evidence of emotional difficulties," he wrote.

The report praised the work of Lytle noting that, "even with the conflict we experience today on this faculty, we are not nearly as conflicted as we were in former times. The faculty is more communicative that it was 20 years ago."

"There was a time in our history when this seminary almost closed."

Another said of Lytle, "When Dean Lytle came to Sewanee we had a good program but we were ordinary. Guy Lytle has made this seminary one of the best in the Episcopal Church. He has brought excellence to this place. The faculty we have now is a great faculty."

Another faculty person noted that, "faculty members do not relate well to each other, whether Guy is here or not. I have no confidence that this will change."

Dean Lyle inherited these malcontents and has courageously battled to protect the students from the mockery and derisiveness of the non-orthodox faculty, and to make Sewanee into an orthodox seminary where everyone's voice can be heard without ridicule, commented another source.

What is truly pathetic is that Vice Chancellor Cunningham is guided by disgruntled faculty, some of whom are not even Episcopalian, according to another source. Joe Monti is an ex Roman Catholic priest. Rebecca Wright is an ordained Methodist. Don Armentrout is a Lutheran pastor. The only Episcopalian among them is Joe Burnett, a liberal priest from Mississippi.

The report reserved its harshest criticism for Professor Joe Monti, a theologically revisionist faculty member who denies the bodily resurrection of Jesus, the Virgin birth, the Trinity and the authority of Scripture. Furthermore, he has publicly mocked, scorned and derided theologically conservative students he teaches, a number of former students told VIRTUOSITY.

A source said that Monti wanted Bishop Craig Anderson to be the next dean. When that fell through, Lytle got the job. "He has done his best to make Lytle's life miserable."

Oswald's report said that several faculty members recommended that Joe Monti be fired.

"Some of these would call themselves friends of Joe. They view Joe as having a personal antagonism with the Dean, which he will not relinquish. They feel that things will not improve as long as he is around. Joe is not a team player, and he has the ability to make the faculty dysfunctional."

In January 2010, the College and School of Theology got a new vice-chancellor. John M. McCardell Jr., president emeritus of Middlebury College, was elected by the Board of Trustees to be the university's 16th vice-chancellor. It was an ironic choice in that the university's chancellor is the ultra-liberal pro-homosexual friendly Bishop of Atlanta Neil Alexander. He recently announced he is retiring in 2012 to teach at Emory University.

As well as being a distinguished historian and respected national leader in liberal arts education, McCardell possesses a record of achievement as a scholar of the American South, as the chief executive of one of America's finest liberal arts colleges, and as a respected national figure in the public discussion about higher education and student life.

VOL was told that he is orthodox in faith and morals. How that will play out at the School of Theology remains to be seen. It is early days. For the moment the university faces a rape charge and is on record as one of the worst universities in the country for binge drinking.

A hint of what McCardell believes was expressed at the recent graduation of the Class of 2011. He closed by asking the graduates to take these comforting words from St. Paul, "But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of - because you know from whom you learned it. Godspeed, Class of 2011."

One hopes that what is being taught now at Sewanee's School of Theology is the convincing and convicting words of St. Paul and not those of liberal and revisionist faculty who have, for more than two decades, been deconstructing the Great Apostle. If not, yet another Dean will have a very short life span.

END