NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — For the fourth year in a row, President George W. Bush will speak — by live video — to messengers of the Southern Baptist Convention when they meet next week in Nashville, Tenn.
Bush will address the annual convention Tuesday morning, June 21, SBC president Bobby Welch told Associated Baptist Press June 15.
The SBC program lists the “President's Address” for 10:55 a.m. Tuesday. That was supposed to be the annual message of convention president Welch, pastor of First Baptist Church of Daytona Beach, Fla. But Welch said he doesn't mind moving his speech from the customary spot. “This was the only time he could speak,” Welch said of Bush.
Instead, Welch will speak Tuesday afternoon, probably at the 2:45 p.m. slot listed as “Special Feature.” There had been speculation that time slot was being held for Bush. Welch said details for the president's speech were worked out with the White House only in the last couple of days.
Maria Tamburri, White House liaison for religious media, could not confirm that Bush will speak, saying his schedule would not be released until Friday.
Welch said he did not know the content of Bush's speech but anticipated it would cover social issues, such as stem-cell research, on which Southern Baptists have proven to be allies.
The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest player in the evangelical coalition that has supported Bush in his two elections. Last year, Bush thanked Southern Baptists for their support of the Iraq war and opposition to gay marriage, partial-birth abortion, federally funded stem-cell research and judicial activism.