{"id":19090,"date":"2025-03-17T04:30:00","date_gmt":"2025-03-17T08:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/?p=19090"},"modified":"2025-03-17T12:29:15","modified_gmt":"2025-03-17T16:29:15","slug":"a-century-long-look-at-the-southern-baptist-commissions-on-ethics-part-two","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/article\/longform\/a-century-long-look-at-the-southern-baptist-commissions-on-ethics-part-two\/","title":{"rendered":"A Century-long Look at the Southern Baptist Commissions on Ethics (Part 2)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In part one of this two-essay series, I gave a decade-by-decade breakdown from the 1900s to the 1960s on how various Southern Baptist ethics commissions sought to deal with social issues. In part two, I pick up that history in the  1970s and move to the present. These essays are primarily historical and descriptive, as they give context for how the Southern Baptist Convention has sought to address concerns in the public square for more than a century. They also highlight how the ERLC has at many times been at odds with the larger SBC convention. [Editor\u2019s Note: For more on the tenuous relationship between the leaders of the ERLC and the SBC, see the Christ Over All<\/em> podcast with Tom Nettles<\/a>.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1970s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 1970\u2019s saw the beginning and rapid intensification of controversy among Southern Baptists on the moral dilemma posed by feminist ideology in conjunction with abortion. The extended debate among Southern Baptists began with Norma McCorvey (1947\u20132017) who had twice given up her out-of-wedlock children to adoption. In 1969, she became pregnant a third time with her husband, but in this case she wanted an abortion. Texas law would not allow it, so she was referred to feminist lawyers who were looking for such a case to challenge state laws on abortion. Though McCorvey ended up having the baby (and for the third time surrendered it to adoption), a federal three-judge panel ruled that the Texas law concerning abortion was unconstitutional. The Texas attorney general, Henry Wade, appealed the case to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court also ruled in Roe v. Wade<\/em> (1973) that the Texas law was unconstitutional, citing the fourteenth amendment of the U. S. Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

In 1971, the Christian Life Commission pointed to its emphasis on human sexuality and education, pornography, overpopulation, and race relations. It cited Morality and Beyond<\/em> by liberal theologian Paul Tillich as a model for \u201cthe imminence of the moral imperative.\u201d Both culture and religion fall apart without such ultimate seriousness. The Christian Life Commission worked through the year to emphasize the imminence of this moral imperative.[1]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

1. SBC 1971: 209. All references to the Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention<\/em> will follow this pattern. The SBC Annual is a yearly book of reports from all of the SBC entities, and it is a valuable historical artifact.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Larry Maddox from Missouri presented a resolution on abortion. In spite of attempts to eliminate the final paragraph that came from the committee on resolutions, the resolution that passed ultimately stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Be it further Resolved, That we call upon Southern Baptists to work for legislation that will allow for the possibility of abortion under such cases as rape, incest, clear evidence of severe fetal deformity, and carefully ascertained evidence of the likelihood of damage to the emotional, mental, and physical health of the mother.[2]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

2. SBC 1971: 72.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The 1973 decision by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade<\/em> argued that the fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution implicitly provides a fundamental “right to privacy” that protects a pregnant woman’s liberty to choose whether to have an abortion. The phrase \u201cnor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law\u201d became the constitutional foundation for the extrapolation of the right to an abortion. Though some provisions were included to protect \u201cpre-natal life,\u201d the arbitrary division of pregnancy into three trimesters made early abortion purely the private judgment of the mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1973, the CLC emphasize applied Christianity in areas of family life, race relations, daily work and economics, Christian citizenship, peace, and special moral concerns such as alcohol and other drugs, gambling, and pornography. They emphasized eleven points of activity, none of which included abortion. In light of the Watergate scandal of 1972\u20131974, the convention adopted a resolution that included this: \u201cWe call for the just prosecution of persons from any political party who are found guilty of maligning justice.\u201d[3]<\/a> Also, the Convention pledged prayer for President Nixon during the time of political tension and commended him for his efforts for peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. SBC 1973:85.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

In 1974 the CLC concentrated on freedom for women, race relations, integrity in government, and economic life. Bob Holbrook (of Texas) moved “that this Convention instruct the Christian Life Commission to prepare and distribute to the churches and memberships updated materials on abortion,\u201d with a proportionate balance of views both for and against abortion. He believed that the imbalance, lack of clarity, and conflict on this issue made such action necessary.[4]<\/a> The chair referred this motion to the consideration of the Christian Life Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. SBC 1974: 73.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

An attempt to amend resolution 5 on abortion was ruled out of order \u201csince it referred to a resolution adopted in 1971.\u201d Bob Holbrook spoke again. He moved to amend the 1971 resolution \u201cto express opposition to abortion in any case and to seek a Constitutional amendment prohibiting abortion.\u201d His motion was defeated. Resolution five was then adopted which merely reaffirmed the 1971 resolution. It said that Southern Baptists had \u201creflected a middle ground between the extreme of abortion on demand and the opposite extreme of all abortion as murder,\u201d and asserted that the resolution \u201cdealt responsibly from a Christian perspective with complexities of abortion problems in contemporary society.\u201d[5]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. SBC 1975: 183.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

On the matter referred to the Christian Life Commission from the previous year, the Commission responded that they had \u201cgiven careful attention to the complex ethical issues related to abortion, and it will continue to do so.\u201d They had distributed material on the issue and \u201cwill continue to point people toward the resources of the Christian faith as the best guide for dealing with abortion.\u201d[6]<\/a> In others words, \u201cWe change nothing in our position.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. SBC 1975: 201.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

In 1976, Bob Holbrook again brought a resolution on abortion.[7]<\/a> Attempts were made to amend the version brought forth by the resolutions committee to be stronger in its affirmation of fetal life and opposition to abortion. These included “Whereas, Every decision for an abortion, for whatever reason, must necessarily involve the decision to terminate the life of an innocent human being;” and “Be it further Resolved, that we reject, as contrary to Southern Baptist doctrine and tradition, any suggestion that Southern Baptists should become political activists in support of permissive abortion legislation.” These were rejected. The resolution included this language, that the \u201cpractice of abortion for selfish non-therapeutic reasons\u201d cheapens \u201call human life, and necessarily involves the decision to terminate the life of an innocent human being.\u201d It ended, \u201cwe reject any indiscriminate attitude toward abortion, as contrary to the biblical view,\u201d and \u201cwe also affirm our conviction about the limited role of government in dealing with matters relating to abortion, and support the right of expectant mothers to the full range of medical services and personal counseling for the preservation of life and health.\u201d It closed the statement with \u201cwe reject, as contrary to Southern Baptist doctrine and tradition, any suggestion that Southern Baptists should become political activists in support of permissive legislation,\u201d omitting the suggested amendment \u201cpermissive abortion legislation.\u201d[8]<\/a> The \u201cfull range of medical services and personal counseling\u201d implied a wide range of scenarios in which abortion could be justified.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
7. SBC 1976:33<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. SBC 1976: 134.<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In 1977, after several vigorous motions to strengthen the wording in opposition to abortion, the 1976 action was reaffirmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1980s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Appointment of Larry Baker<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1987, under the influence of growing dominance of conservative trustees at the Southern Baptist entities, Foy Valentine resigned as Executive Director of the Commission so that the still-moderate majority could elect a man more in keeping with the Conservative viewpoint. This move was prompted by a 1986 motion requesting the trustees of the Christian Life Commission \u201cupon the next vacancy for the position of executive director to fill the position with a person whose record and confession demonstrated convictions concerning the sanctity of unborn life in accordance with sentiments expressed in the Convention’s 1980, 1982, and 1984 resolutions opposing abortion.\u201d In a preemptive action, Larry Baker already was in the process of being elected. The explanation stated:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

At that time the Christian Life Commission had already activated a Search Committee to nominate a new executive director. After many months of careful and prayerful searching, the Committee unanimously nominated and the Commission elected as the new executive director a mature, wise, experienced, proven, loyal, godly, Christian ethicist [Larry Baker] with a strong commitment to upholding among Southern Baptists the sanctity of all human life including fetal life. The new executive director possesses a deep concern for an ongoing, positive responsiveness both to the will of God and to Southern Baptists regarding all moral issues including the grave moral issue of abortion.[9]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

9. SBC 1987: 201.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A Washington office opened that year for more immediate interaction with political personnel dealing with ethical issues affecting the nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1989, the Commission announced that the \u201cCommission has undergone transition in leadership. N. Larry Baker resigned as the executive director of the Commission effective June 10, 1988, to become the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Pineville, Louisiana.\u201d Richard Land was elected as Executive Director effective October 24, 1988.[10]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. SBC 1989: 182.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The 1990s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Appointment of Richard Land<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Land served for 25 years. The massive number of ethical issues that faced the nation were itemized, analyzed, and addressed in a scriptural light. Such issues as family life, citizenship, race relations, world hunger, prosecution of child pornography and obscenity, threats to religious liberty, partial birth abortion, as well as abortion on demand were described and addressed through preaching, speaking, teaching, writing, and sponsoring conferences and seminars. In 1990, the Commission purchased a permanent facility to house the Christian Life Commission office there. It was named Leland House in honor of John Leland, whose arguments for religious liberty contributed to the passage of the First Amendment to the U. S. Constitution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1991, the name of the Commission was changed to the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. Again, its task was to assist \u201cSouthern Baptists in understanding the moral demands of the Christian faith and helping Southern Baptists apply Christian principles to moral and social problems.\u201d The commission began publishing the newsletter Salt<\/em> six times a year to inform the churches on policy issues in the government and to keep Southern Baptists informed on public policy that affected the ethical dimension of American life. [11]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

11. SBC 1991: 230-233.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

In 1995, frank discussions of lingering racism were addressed at the national convention meeting. Jerri Smith moved that \u201cthe label of black churches or black extension churches or any labels that refer to African Americans as black be called African Americans as all other ethnic churches are referred to by their ancestorial origin, not by color.”[12]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

12. SBC 1995: 36. Item 43.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

More extensively and clarifying was the resolution on racial reconciliation. Two of the many \u201cWhereas\u201d clauses stated, [SBC 1995 (80)] \u201cMany of our Southern Baptist forbears defended the right to own slaves, and either participated in, supported, or acquiesced in the particularly inhumane nature of American slavery,\u201d and \u201cin later years Southern Baptists failed, in many cases, to support, and in some cases opposed, legitimate initiatives to secure the civil rights of African-Americans.\u201d Two of the resolutions that followed stated, \u201cwe lament and repudiate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter harvest, and we recognize that the racism which yet plagues our culture today is inextricably tied to the past\u201d and then, \u201cwe apologize to all African-Americans for condoning and\/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism in our lifetime; and we genuinely repent of racism of which we have been guilty, whether consciously (Psalm 19:13) or unconsciously (Leviticus 4:27).\u201d Forgiveness was asked and a pledge to \u201ceradicate racism\u201d from Southern Baptist life was made.[13]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

13. SBC 1995: 80, 81<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

A Los Angeles Times article reported, \u201cRichard Land, director of the denomination\u2019s Christian Life Commission, whose biracial task force drafted the statement, said Tuesday that while he cannot repent for his great-great-great-grandfather, who was a slave owner, he is \u2018eager to apologize and express remorse for that.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1996, a strongly-worded statement on abortion that included a reprimand of President Clinton was given. Clinton had vetoed a bill that would have eliminated partial-birth abortion on the premise that he had prayed about it and felt led to the veto. The commissions\u2019 statement said that the mother’s health exception has been \u201ccompletely discredited as a catchall loophole which has been demonstrated to include any reason the mother so desires.\u201d Noting that God would never lead any person into an ethical position that contradicted his inerrant word, they expressed \u201cdisapproval of the President’s suggestion that God would reveal to him in prayer that any abortion method, particularly one so barbarous in technique and so cruel in effect, would ever have God’s approval.\u201d They also admonished Clinton, a professing Southern Baptist U.S. President, \u201cto reverse his action,\u201d and called on congress to override the veto.[14]<\/a> Neither happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14. SBC 1996: 87.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The 1998 Minutes<\/em> used the title Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission for the first time. Land had been listed as \u201cPresident\u201d since 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Again, in 1999, a decades-old theme was reiterated rejecting \u201cany inherent conflict between the social and salvation aspects of the Gospel.\u201d No dichotomy exists as Christians are called to be both salt and light. The one changes actions and the other changes attitudes. Jesus \u201chas called us to be both salt and light \u2026 before a watching world.\u201d[15]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

15. SBC 1999: 291.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The 2000s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the 2000 Annual<\/em>, the Commission announced a live radio ministry of one-half hour called “For Faith & Family,” launched two years earlier on February 16, 1998.[16]<\/a> Other radio programs, some longer, some shorter, were utilized for reaching the public. This ministry increased in audience and variety of audio platforms. In 2000, the ERLC encouraged Southern Baptists to boycott Disney in light of its promotion of a radical homosexual agenda. Also, President Bush appointed Land to an international commission on religious liberty. He served on this for five years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16. SBC 2000: 269.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

In 2004, Land expressed confidence that \u201cAmerica can be changed and that God is looking to Southern Baptists to take part in restoring our nation to its Judeo-Christian foundation.\u201d He also affirmed that the ERLC\u2019s vision is a “society that affirms and practices Judeo-Christian values rooted in biblical authority” with the clear purpose and determination \u201cto assist Bible-believing families in bringing this vision to fruition.\u201d[17]<\/a> In 2005, Land reported on the impact that the ERLC\u2019s work had on \u201cvalue voters\u201d in the presidential election the November with their emphasis on the iVote Values website. Land called for \u201cnothing less than active, principled involvement with society, including informed participation in our nation’s public policy process.\u201d He again affirmed the fundamental commitment to \u201cJudeo-Christian values rooted in biblical authority.”[18]<\/a> Land engaged in over 600 interviews during the year on a wide variety of difficult and challenging ethical issues. He also expressed disappointment with the IMB and NAMB at their discontinuing their partnership with the ERLC of promoting the Southern Baptist World Hunger Fund.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
17. SBC 2004, 222.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18. SBC 2005: 251.<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The next years saw the ERLC continuing its work in four areas it had been assigned by the Convention. In a fourfold ministry statement, the ERLC aimed to assist churches<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. In applying the moral and ethical teachings of the Bible to the Christian life.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Through the communication and advocacy of moral and ethical concerns in the public arena.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. In their moral witness in local communities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. By promoting religious liberty (in the convention and among its entities).<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The 2010s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    In 2010, the ERLC again asserted its commitment \u201cto God\u2019s Word alone in advocating and communicating a response to the moral and ethical issues of the day\u201d identifying itself as \u201c a tireless defender of and compassionate voice for the unborn and the women who are being victimized by those who promote abortion as means to dispose of that which is viewed as being too burdensome or too costly.\u201d[19]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    19. SBC 2010: 254.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    The following year focused on the first amendment guarantee of the free exercise of religious conviction and the difficulties posed by \u201cthe increasing secularization of our culture, accompanied by a concerted effort by influential segments of our society to trivialize religious convictions and to drive them to the margins of our culture.\u201d[20]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    20. SBC 2011: 232.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    In 2012, Land explained American \u201cexceptionalism\u201d as a gift of divine providence and continually dependent on \u201cacknowledging the religious nature of a people who created an experiment in self-government unique on the face of earth.\u201d The truth of this heritage must be promoted in families.[21]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    21. SBC 2012: 218.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    In 2012, a report on ministry to homosexuals, jointly sponsored by Lifeway and the ERLC, pointed to two highly complicating factors. One was the increasing normalization of homosexuality as a lifestyle. A second was the increasingly complex movement toward the classification of any anti-homosexual expressions as \u201chate speech.\u201d This also presents a challenge to how biblical convictions impact religious freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The SBC Annual for 2013 carried Richard Land\u2019s last report. On April 29, 2013, Land announced plans to retire from his position.[22]<\/a> He had run afoul of some trustees of the Commission, who, ironically, reprimanded him for \u201churtful, irresponsible and racially charged words.\u201d They also accused him of plagiarism on one of his weekly radio programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    22. SBC 2013: 224, 225.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    The Appointment of Russell Moore<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Trustees already had named Land\u2019s successor: Russell Moore, dean of the School of Theology and senior vice president for academic administration at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Moore took office as new ERLC president June 1, 2013, and served for eight years through June 1, 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Land\u2019s last report made no mention of the fait accompli resignation but drew attention to the challenge and complexity of the moral issues facing families and challenging the stability and ethical rightness of culture. Land, during his almost quarter of a century of tenure, had witnessed \u201csociety\u2019s indifference and hostility to biblical teaching grow at a frightening pace.\u201d He reminded the Convention of the certainty of God\u2019s purpose in the world and the joy and surety of implementing God\u2019s way in individuals and families. Family integrity, biblical sexuality, no-fault divorce, abortion, gambling, and oppressive business practices all made interaction with the culture a deep challenge. The response of pro-life counselors, adoption agencies, and the ERLC\u2019s Psalm 139 Project helped Christ-followers cope with the increasing moral corruption and chaos. The ERLC had advocated for the Religious Freedom Act Amendments of 2011 and against the Obama Administration\u2019s Contraceptives Mandate.[23]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    23. SBC 2013: 224, 225.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    Russell Moore\u2019s first report included a doctrinal affirmation of the fallenness of the world, the sinister designs of Satan, the opposition of the flesh to personal holiness. He described his foundation for ethical interaction as an identification with \u201cour Baptist forebears,\u201d who worked for \u201creligious liberty for all people, for the dignity of every human being as made in the image of God, for the stability of the family, and for a society rooted in justice and human flourishing.\u201d Preeminently, he wanted all discussion of ethics to connect \u201cto the mission of Christ, that we may be ambassadors of reconciliation, pointing a lost world to the God of both justice and justification.\u201d[24]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    24. SBC 2014: 231.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    Moore was busy writing letters on cultural and political issues and forming coalitions for joint efforts on national and worldwide matters of human dignity and flourishing. On some issues, he included faith traditions of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church of Scientology, and to the National Association of Evangelicals. He accepted an invitation from Pope Francis<\/a> to attend a Colloquium on Marriage at the Vatican, where he spoke on 18 November 2014.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Obergefell decision in 2015, (a Supreme Court ruling that the Fourteenth Amendment requires states to license and recognize same-sex marriages) prompted Moore to host a discussion on its implications for Christian stances on marriage. Later that year, the ERLC hosted Capitol Conversations on the Planned Parenthood undercover video controversy. The relation of biblical truth to culture issues was the burden of the \u201cCanon & Culture\u201d initiative.[25]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    25. SBC 2015: 260-264.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    In 2016, Moore visited that constant theme involved in this ministry in a major book entitled Onward: Engaging the Culture without Losing the Gospel<\/em>. Realizing the sinister threats arising in the political tensions in America and worldwide, he wrote: \u201cWe want to speak up with a word of witness in the public square and we want to equip churches to have a word to witness about. In short, I want to keep our people out of jail\u2014and to help make them willing to go.\u201d[26]<\/a> He ardently opposed Donald Trump as president pointing to a variety of moral and personality reasons for his opposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    26. SBC 2016: 236.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    A number of projects involving writing, conferences, and multi-media communication punctuated the 2018 report. Accessing the example of Martin Luther, Moore wrote that \u201cwe must know how to nail theses to the wall of the world around us, not merely in protest but as ambassadors of reconciliation.\u201d This included dealing with issues raised by Planned Parenthood (dissenting \u201cfrom a watching world that would tell us that children are only valuable if they are \u2018planned\u2019\u201d), the crisis in gender identity, continuing issues of religious freedom, and taking into account \u201cthe rights of the unborn and the vulnerable when confirming judicial nominees.\u201d[27]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    27. SBC 2018: 244, 245 ff.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    In 2018, the ERLC cosponsored with the Gospel Coalition a conference named MLK 50, held on the 50th<\/sup> anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The conference generated some controversy as to whether it was as true to \u201ccanon\u201d (by way of historic orthodoxy) as it was to \u201cculture\u201d (in its advocacy of King\u2019s confrontation with racial injustice). Russell Moore spoke at the event, challenging southern evangelicals with the possibility that they are included with the warnings to the Pharisees in Matthew 23:29\u201336.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In 2019, Moore noted the great loss to the Christian world (as to the world of lost humanity) in the death of Billy Graham. Moore likened the ERLC\u2019s advocacy of biblical ethics like Graham\u2019s unswerving insistence on the gospel. \u201cWe point them to an old, old story,\u201d Moore wrote. That message \u201ccontinues to speak truth to the issues of today, but does so by speaking of bloody crosses and empty tombs and the power of God to save.\u201d After a listing of the many issues to which the ERLC continued to speak, Moore wrote, \u201cSouthern Baptists are faithful to the same thing Billy Graham was: we must be the people who believe in the inerrancy of Scripture so much that we do what it says. We must be the people who sing, \u2018Jesus Loves Me,\u2019 and who work to protect all of those he loves.\u201d[28]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    28. SBC 2019: 257, 258.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    Among the public issues involved in such a goal was the ERLC\u2019s advocacy for Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. They also worked for the appointment of Amy Coney Barrett to the 7th Circuit court of appeals.[29]<\/a> Rising Anti-Semitism also was a target of the ERLC\u2019s cultural critique. Intense attention also was given to the rising problem of accusations of sexual abuse in the churches.[30]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
    29. BC 2019: 263, 264.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    30. SBC 2019: 269.<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    The 2020s<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Daniel Patterson presented the report for the ERLC in 2021, although it was written by Russell Moore, because Moore had submitted it before his resignation on May 18, 2021. It pointed to \u201cstrange and tumultuous times\u201d characterized by a \u201clack of trust in institutions throughout the public square.\u201d Polarization and hostility, some of it fomented by confusion over the Covid19 pandemic, shows \u201cjust how desperately the Gospel is needed for a world in chaos and groaning for redemption.\u201d[31]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    31. SBC 2021: 314.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    This report, listing all the ways that the ERLC had sought to minister during this time of sickness, death, economic crisis, and cancellations of church, weddings, and other parts of normal life, was perhaps neutralized by the parting shot at Southern Baptists Moore issued in his open letter to J. D. Greear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Moore wrote, in referring to a \u201ccrisis\u201d in the Southern Baptist Convention, \u201cThe crisis is multi-pronged as you and I have discussed, as seen in the blatant, gutter-level racism that has been expressed to me behind closed doors along with the reprehensible treatment of my African-American employees and our African-American seminary professors by figures within the Southern Baptist ecosystem. In this letter, though, I refer specially to the crisis of sexual abuse as it relates to the SBC Executive Committee.\u201d Moore wrote of \u201challway threats of retribution and intimidation.\u201d He stated,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    What I know, but Southern Baptists do not, is the bullying and intimidation of at least one sexual abuse victim by the SBC Executive Committee and the attempted intimidation of at least one SBC entity president. If Southern Baptists decide that these are the sorts of tactics they want employed, and that the primary problem for them is not sexual predators but those who call for justice against sexual predators, then that is certainly their right. Autonomous churches and the people in them can then decide if that\u2019s what they wish to support. But it is not right for Southern Baptists to vote over and over and over again in their annual meetings for sane, reasonable approaches to this, and other crises, only to see such things frustrated by mafia-level intimidation tactics between meetings.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    When he wrote \u201cNow, as I said to my trustee officers last year, through all of this I have tried to smile and pretend that everything is alright with me personally and to refrain from revealing the horrific actions you and I have experienced behind the scenes,\u201d he verified in his parting words of his pre-written report for 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n

    The past year has been a year of chaos and a year of revelation. The ERLC has endeavored to represent Southern Baptists in the public square with the truth of the Gospel courageously, and the kindness that is our weapon of war against the forces of hatred and division. But this year also served as a reminder of God\u2019s abundant kindness and the great work that churches are doing daily. As we look ahead to the next year, I am encouraged by the thought of thousands of Southern Baptist congregations continuing to carry the message of the gospel to a world sorely in need of its hope, its stability, and its grace.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    For the Gospel, Russell Moore<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That \u201cnext year\u201d toward which he reported that he anticipated with encouragement by \u201cthousands of Southern Baptist congregations continuing to carry the message of the gospel\u201d did not come in the form of his publicly stated anticipation, but in the privately communicated, publicly-leaked narrative in the outrage and presentation of an Old Testament minor prophet. Not only did the President of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention leave his position as President, he left the Southern Baptist Convention as well soon afterward, joining Immanuel Nashville, an independent congregation that is part of the Acts 29 Network with many connections to the Anglican\u00a0Church\u00a0of North America (ACNA).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Appointment of Brent Leatherwood<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Brent Leatherwood, who had been hired previously by Moore, presented the 2022 ERLC report as the \u201cActing President,\u201d of the Commission. He called the past year \u201ca consequential 12 months in the history of this entity.\u201d Such a raucous and loud departure had provided \u201cits own unique challenges for our work.\u201d Having spoken of that departure in other available forums, he wanted to focus on the \u201cremarkable consistency this Commission has displayed despite the upheaval of the last year.\u201d He was particularly invested in the part that the ERLC played in a program called \u201cRoad to Roe50.\u201d The ERLC team was present on the steps of the Supreme Court during the oral arguments in the Dobbs<\/em> case, which would later return abortion to the states. \u201cThat sort of consistent voice and witness on such an integral issue has become a hallmark of the Commission,\u201d Leatherwood claimed. He saw this as a \u201cline of conviction that spans the respective administrations of multiple presidents.\u201d[32]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    32. SBC 2022: 271, 272.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    In 2022, however, Leatherwood signed a letter that forcefully resisted any legislation at the state level that would make women culpable for their abortions. It said, \u201cAs national and state pro-life organizations, representing tens of millions of pro-life men, women, and children across the country, let us be clear: We state unequivocally that we do not support any measure seeking to criminalize or punish women and we stand firmly opposed to include such penalties in legislation.\u201d[33]<\/a> Given the biblical certainty that life begins at conception, one wonders how a commission responsible for developing an ethical program based on biblical theology and views of life could pre-emptively acquit the primary perpetrator of the purposeful taking of innocent, non-aggressive human life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    33. National Right to Life, \u201cAn Open Letter to State Lawmakers from America\u2019s Leading Pro-Life Organizations<\/a>,\u201d May 12, 2022.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

    The ERLC has had many names, leaders, and areas of purview in the past century ranging from prohibition to fighting abortion to religious freedom. As the broader culture has become more secular, so has the ERLC\u2019s focus shifted through the decades. The ERLC and its forbearers were charged with a difficult task: representing a convention of churches that does not have a single opinion on many key issues. Today, The ERLC\u2019s mission is made more challenging by the fact that the SBC is still reeling from the fallout of Russell Moore\u2019s undocumented allegations as he left SBC life. There is a trust vacuum at the top levels of ERLC leadership that has only been exacerbated by Leatherwood\u2019s 2022 lobbying against<\/em> holding women accountable for abortion. These challenges present an uncertain future for the ERLC. One thing, however, is certain: there is an increasing need for Christians to advocate in the public square as the West becomes more hostile to Christ. In the next decade, will the ERLC have the clarity and the boldness to faithfully fulfill its task?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    This essay chronicles the last fifty plus years of the ERLC from the 1970s onward, with a particular focus on the leadership of Richard Land, Russell Moore, and Brent Leatherwood.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":19095,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"This essay chronicles the last fifty plus years of the ERLC from the 1970s onward, with a particular focus on the leadership of Richard Land, Russell Moore, and Brent Leatherwood.","_seopress_robots_index":"","inline_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[32,8,1969,38],"tags":[129,610,1690,412,1656,833,493,82,371,1413,1422,488,1634,181],"scripture-reference":[],"post_folder":[],"ppma_author":[152],"class_list":["post-19090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article","category-longform","category-march-2025","category-theme","tag-church-history","tag-denominations","tag-erlc","tag-ethics","tag-ethics-and-religious-liberty-commission-erlc","tag-history","tag-morality","tag-political-theology","tag-public-policy","tag-public-religion","tag-religious-liberty","tag-russell-moore","tag-sbc","tag-southern-baptist-convention-sbc"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/Nettles-ERLC-2-Picture-scaled.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-01-13 11:41:50","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"authors":[{"term_id":152,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"tom-j-nettles","display_name":"Tom J. Nettles","avatar_url":{"url":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/thomas-j-nettles.jpeg","url2x":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/thomas-j-nettles.jpeg"},"author_category":"","job_title":"","church_city_state":"","last_name":"","first_name":"","church_site":"","user_url":"","description":"Tom Nettles<\/b> has most recently served as the Professor of Historical Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He previously taught at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with numerous journal articles and scholarly papers, Dr. Nettles is the author and editor of fifteen books. Among his books are By His Grace and For His Glory<\/i>; Baptists and the Bible<\/i>, James Petigru Boyce: A Southern Baptist Statesman<\/i>, and Living by Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles H. Spurgeon<\/i>. Tom and his wife Margaret are actively involved with the ministry of LaGrange Baptist Church in LaGrange, Kentucky."}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19090","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19090"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19090\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19112,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19090\/revisions\/19112"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19095"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19090"},{"taxonomy":"scripture-reference","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/scripture-reference?post=19090"},{"taxonomy":"post_folder","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post_folder?post=19090"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/christoverall.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=19090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}