After a daylong back and forth, Jerry Falwell Jr. officially resigned from Liberty University Monday night, he told ABC News.
The embattled religious leader told ABC News he submitted his resignation letter to the school late Monday night.
The move came hours after the school said that he agreed to resign as its president, after which Falwell reversed his decision after media outlets announced it.
The conservative leader has come under scrutiny after he was mired in an alleged sex scandal involving his wife and a business partner.
“I was never called to be a pastor, my calling was to use my legal and business expertise to make Liberty University the evangelical version of Note Dame," Falwell told ABC News. "Some of us are called to be preachers, that wasn’t mine. I was called to make Liberty University the greatest Christian university’s in the world and I couldn’t have done that as a preacher.”
Liberty University issued a statement on the matter late Monday night.
"The Executive Committee’s Board of Trustees asked Falwell to go on indefinite leave of absence on August 7, to which he agreed," the statement read. "Since that time, additional matters came to light that made it clear that it would not be in the best interest of the University for him to return from leave and serve as President. The Executive Committee met this morning and a conference call gathering of the full Board was planned for tomorrow. Falwell responded by agreeing to resign immediately as President of Liberty University today but then instructed his attorneys to not tender the letter for immediate resignation. The Executive Committee will go forward with its meeting in the morning followed by the full Board."
Said acting President Jerry Prevo: “I call upon the University community and supporters to be in prayer for the University and for all its leadership, past, present and future, as we walk with the Lord through this stormy time of transition.”