By Bob Allen
The new head of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm announced Aug. 11 the re-launch of a Research Institute to employ the denomination’s top scholars in engaging complex issues of the day.
Russell Moore, president of the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, said the new ERLC Research Institute will aid his agency “as we seek to be a persuasive, prophetic witness engaging the academy and equipping the church.”
The list of 12 senior research fellows, 32 research fellows, 10 research fellows in Christian ethics and 16 associate research fellows includes names who served with Moore’s predecessor, Richard Land, in a similar think tank established in 2000. New additions come from the six Southern Baptist seminaries, several Baptist colleges, private and public universities and institutions such as the Heritage Foundation and the American Center for Law and Justice.
Barrett Duke, the ERLC vice president for public policy and research, directs the Research Institute. Andrew Walker, the ERLC director of policy studies, serves as the Institute’s associate director.
Three of the 70 scholars are women.