Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, entity has expressed “grave doubts” about the usefulness of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) within Southern Baptist life.
According to Baptist Press, Mohler stated on an April 30 episode of the Baptist 21 podcast that he “has grave doubts about the utility of the ERLC. And it’s not just about the current moment.” He also added, “It would be wrong for me to lead any such effort” to abolish or defund the ERLC.
During the podcast, Mohler described the idea of maintaining an entity that is “assigned to represent the SBC in a formal sense on so many of the hottest issues of the day” as a “risky proposition.” He acknowledged that “there are clear Baptist principles, biblical principles we want to advertise as loudly to the world as we can,” but questioned, “the question is how do we best do that.”
Mohler further suggested that “a commission” might not be as useful to the SBC as its “boards” and “institutions,” asserting that “that commissions are different than the boards and the institutions, primarily because they have a particular function.” He pointed out that “we have eliminated most of the commissions, and it’s largely because other entities and the churches themselves and the state conventions have taken up this task.”
In the late 1990s, the SBC eliminated several commissions, including the Education Commission, the Stewardship Commission, and the Historical Commission, following recommendations from a study committee on which Mohler served.
Last year, a motion to abolish the ERLC failed to secure the first of two necessary majority votes. The following month, leadership turmoil ensued at the ERLC when the entity announced the removal of President Brent Leatherwood in July, only to retract the announcement a day later.
In 2023, a motion to reallocate the ERLC’s budget to support the Abuse Reform Implementation Task Force was ruled out of order, and in 2022, members also voted down a motion to abolish the commission.
Scott Foshie, ERLC trustee chairman, stated this week, ‘For over 100 years, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission has played a pivotal role in shaping culture and equipping pastors by bringing a distinctively Baptist voice to the public square.’ Foshie added that the ERLC has been “actively engaging with pastors and state convention leaders across the country, listening to their invaluable insights as they navigate complex issues within their ministries.”
Brent Leatherwood, ERLC president, highlighted the organization’s progress, stating, “Our focus is on the work Southern Baptists have assigned to us,” and asserting that the ERLC is “gaining ground with our allies on the Hill to finally and permanently defund Planned Parenthood.” He also explained that the ERLC is “taking aim at banning pornography” and is “equipping our churches to stand firm against the pervasive transgender ideology that so defines the spirit of the age.”
Leatherwood stated that “the ERLC stands in solidarity” with other SBC entities in support of their work in missions, church planting, and seminary training. He emphasized the ERLC’s ongoing efforts, noting that “the ERLC has stood in the gap towards faithful engagement in the public square, bolstered by research and wisdom from leading Southern Baptist ethicists.”
