The Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission has issued an “Evangelical Statement in Support of Israel” that has been signed by dozens of Baptist and evangelical leaders and is open for others to sign. The Oct. 11 letter…
Experiences of female clergy are often overlooked in accounts of the SBC schism, professor says
A gender struggle was central to the Southern Baptist Convention schism, but interpreters of the controversy largely have failed to deal with this reality, a Baptist professor said during a lecture in Louisville, Ky. “They treated women as an issue…
SBC Executive Committee eliminates 20% of staff due to budget crisis
The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee eliminated 20% of its staff Sept. 13 but has not indicated what positions or people were affected. An announcement was made through Baptist Press, the in-house news service that is run by Executive Committee…
Four things the SBC Executive Committee should do right now to address clergy sex abuse
The Southern Baptist Convention’s Executive Committee will meet next Monday in Nashville. Here are four things it could do to address clergy sex abuse. All are within its own power and could be done without bumping up against church autonomy….
Letter to the Editor: Why we’re leaving the SBC for now
August 31, 2023 Dear Editor: “The Southern Baptist Convention is a convention of churches that partner to take the gospel to the ends of the earth, plant churches and provide theological education for the benefit of the kingdom of God,”…
Baylor professors unearth a sordid tale of 19th century whitewashing of sexual assault
The way a group of 19th-century Baptists covered up a sexual assault committed by one of their own testifies all too clearly about the misuse of privilege and power when protecting beloved institutions, according to the authors of Remembering Antônia…
SBC conducting internal investigation on McLaurin’s resume lies
The Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee will launch an internal investigation into how its recently removed interim president deceived the denomination for years about his educational background and military service — both of which appear to be bogus. Although Executive…
Letter to the Editor: No one has the authority to deliver absolution to Willie McLaurin
Dear Editor: The Willie McLaurin story came at a very bad time for the SBC, even though it would be hard to find a recent time without turmoil. After spending much of my career as an expert in fraud and…
New SBC head attends a dually aligned church and his wife is a ‘minister’
The new interim president of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee is a member of a church dually aligned with the SBC and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship and where his seminary-educated wife holds the job title “minister of students and…