Southern Baptists Defeat Motion to Abolish Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission

DALLAS, Texas — Southern Baptist Convention messengers voted decisively to reject a motion to abolish the denomination's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission during the annual meeting in Dallas on Wednesday, marking the third consecutive year such a proposal has been brought before the nation's largest Protestant denomination.

The Vote

The motion failed by a margin of 3,744 votes (56.89%) to 2,819 votes (42.84%), with more than 6,500 messengers casting ballots on the contentious issue. Pastor Willy Rice of Calvary Baptist Church in Clearwater, Florida, introduced the motion Tuesday morning, calling on SBC messengers to "vote to abolish the ERLC."

Rice characterized his motion as a "wake-up call" to the agency, telling the convention, "Why bring a motion to abolish the ERLC? Because this is how we save it."

Background of Controversy

For nearly a decade, the ERLC has been a source of controversy as the denomination has navigated the cultural and political divides of the Trump era. The agency has faced internal conflict, including a controversial incident last summer when a former ERLC chair announced that agency president Brent Leatherwood had been fired after a social media post praising then-President Joe Biden for dropping his reelection bid.

Some in the SBC have criticized the commission for its stances on immigration and critical race theory, as well as for aligning with and accepting money from outside groups that don't align with the denomination's statement of faith.

Strong Support from Former Leaders

Prior to the vote, ten former SBC presidents released a letter expressing support for the ERLC's continuation, highlighting the agency's work on issues important to Southern Baptists such as promoting life, marriage and family, and opposing abortion, pornography and transgender ideology.

"For decades, the ERLC has steadfastly defended our Southern Baptist commitment to religious liberty. They forged a path forward fighting abortion, helping pave the way to see Roe v. Wade overturned and now Planned Parenthood defunded," the former presidents wrote.

The letter, signed by leaders including Bart Barber, Ed Litton, J.D. Greear, and others, emphasized that "there is a difference between refinement and eradication," adding, "A sledgehammer is not the tool for adjusting a mirror."

ERLC's Defense

During his report to the convention, current ERLC President Brent Leatherwood outlined the agency's "decision-making matrix" for determining public policy priorities, explaining that each potential issue is judged based on whether it is rooted in Scripture, reflective of the Baptist Faith & Message, and responsive to the will of SBC messengers as reflected in adopted resolutions.

Constitutional Requirements

Under SBC Bylaw 25, abolishing any convention entity requires a majority vote at two consecutive annual meetings. Had Rice's motion passed, it would have needed approval again at next year's annual meeting to take effect.

Looking Forward

This marks the third consecutive year that motions to defund or abolish the ERLC have appeared before messengers, with last year's motion failing to gain the required majority. The agency continues to serve as the SBC's public policy arm, addressing ethical issues and advocating for religious liberty on behalf of the denomination's 12.7 million members.

The vote demonstrates that while the ERLC remains controversial within Southern Baptist circles, a solid majority of convention messengers continue to support its mission and existence as part of the denomination's ministry structure.