A former professor at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth was arrested Wednesday and faces a charge of possession of child pornography.
Charles Bellinger, 62, was booked into the Tarrant County jail after he was arrested by Fort Worth police, court records show. Bellinger was a theological librarian and professor of theology and ethics at the school, according to an archived version of Brite’s website.
As of Wednesday, Bellinger’s page on the school’s site has been removed.
Vanessa Daley, a Brite spokesperson, said in an email Thursday that Bellinger had been fired following an investigation by the school’s administration.
“The behavior outlined in the criminal complaint against Charles Bellinger, a former faculty member, is repugnant and the antithesis of our values and mission,” Daley said. “When Brite administration was made aware of these allegations, we immediately initiated our own investigation, cooperated with law enforcement, shut down his access to school technology, personnel, and facilities, and placed him on immediate administrative leave before terminating his employment shortly thereafter.”
Brite Divinity School is located on the campus of Texas Christian University, though the two schools are separate institutions.
Bellinger remained jailed Thursday evening on $30,000 bail. Court records indicate he has not yet retained an attorney.
