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DALLAS — A pastor who has been at odds with the leadership of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary over speaking in tongues has resigned from the school's board of trustees.

The Rev. Dwight McKissic said in a resignation letter that he has been "distracted and consumed" by the controversy and needs to refocus on his family and church, The Dallas Morning News reported on its Web site Thursday night.

The letter, addressed to Van McClain, chairman of the Fort Worth seminary's trustee board, was released Thursday, the newspaper said.

Trustees voted 36-1 in October not to tolerate any promotion of "private prayer language" at the school. McKissic, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist Church in Arlington, was the lone dissenter.

The vote came nearly two months after McKissic said during a chapel service that he sometimes speaks in tongues while praying.

Seminary President Paige Patterson responded by not allowing video of McKissic's sermon to be posted online or saved in the seminary's archives.

McKissic's supporters sent a letter to the seminary, the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board asking that they reconsider policies regarding "the gifts of tongues and/or the use of a private prayer language."

In his resignation letter, McKissic said his "love, respect and appreciation" for Patterson remains.