Nashville, Tenn. | The top volunteer leadership of the SBC’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) has posted a five-point objection to plans by the SBC Executive Committee (EC) to conduct an examination of the ERLC’s work. Now the EC has countered in response to ERLC claims the pending study is “disrespectful.”
The Executive Committee of the ERLC issued a letter strongly disagreeing with the SBC Executive Committee over its decision to create a task force to “review the past and present activities of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission in the fulfillment of its Convention-approved ministry assignments and…assess whether the actions of the Commission and its leadership are affecting Cooperative Program giving or the further advancement of the Cooperative Program.”
The SBC Executive Committee voted to create the task force at its February 17-18 meeting in Nashville. Members have yet to be named to the task force.
In the letter released February 20, the ERLC Executive Committee members expressed their support for Dr. Russell Moore, executive director of the ERLC. The members state their belief that SBC messengers should be given the opportunity to express whether they agree with the task force’s creation. “Until then,” they say, “we are instructing Dr. Moore and the ERLC not to comply with it until messengers have an opportunity to signal their belief that such a task force is appropriate and legitimate.” The SBC Executive Committee’s instructions are for the task force to report back at its Sept. 2020 meeting.
In calling for the task force, EC President and CEO Ronnie Floyd acknowledged that he had fielded multiple expressions of concern about the direction of the ERLC. Particular actions by Moore related to the Trump Administration were cited by SBC leaders and pastors, according to published reports, dating back to the 2016 primary elections.
On February 21, the EC issued a response to the ERLC’s open letter stating it had no intention to communicate disrespect or to divide, nor to remove Dr. Moore. Rather, the EC said, “When we continue to hear a growing number of reports that churches are either planning to decrease or withhold Cooperative Program gifts and are given specific reasons that relate to a Southern Baptist entity, we have a responsibility that we are granted under the bylaws of the SBC to consider those reports. This action passed unanimously among the officers, unanimously in subcommittee, and by an overwhelming majority in plenary.”
Although the ERLC Executive Committee speaks for the ERLC, their open letter was issued without a formal vote of the ERLC Board of Trustees.
Read the complete ERLC Executive Committee letter
Read the complete SBC Executive Committee response
Read more about the SBC Executive Committee’s meeting
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