UPDATE: 6:10 p.m. ET July 31: This article was updated to include more information about the debate over a motion to abolish the ERLC.
Brent Leatherwood, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, has stepped down from office, four years after he was tasked with leading the convention’s political advocacy arm.
The ERLC announced Leatherwood’s departure on Thursday, saying the ERLC Board of Trustees accepted the resignation. ERLC Vice President and Chief of Staff Miles Mullin will serve as acting president.
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In a statement, Leatherwood said he is stepping down because he believes that it is “time to close this chapter of my life.”
“It has been an honor to guide this Baptist organization in a way that has honored the Lord, served the churches of our Convention, and made this fallen world a little better,” said Leatherwood.
“I believe gratitude is at the heart of conservatism. That means I will always be thankful for the opportunity provided to me by our churches — for the support they have offered and the resources they have sacrificially given to this entity.”
Leatherwood highlighted the ERLC’s advocacy efforts under his watch, including the effort to defund Planned Parenthood of federal tax dollars, championing efforts to curb gun violence, providing many life-saving ultrasound machines to pro-life pregnancy care clinics and supporting immigration reform.
“In all of our advocacy work, we have sought to strike a balance of conviction and kindness, one that is rooted in Scripture and reflective of our Baptist beliefs,” he continued. “That has meant standing for truth, without equivocation, yet never failing to honor the God-given dignity of each person we engage.”
Leatherwood served as acting president of the ERLC in 2021 following the departure of former ERLC President Russell Moore. Leatherwood was named president in 2022. He had previously held the role of director of strategic partnerships for ERLC in 2017.
Scott Foshie, chairman of the ERLC Board of Trustees, said that Leatherwood has “led the commission well and demonstrated loving courage in the face of a divisive and increasingly polarizing culture.”
“While biblical values have been under attack, Brent has been a consistent and faithful missionary to the public square,” Foshie said. “We are thankful for his commitment to the Lord and to this commission.”
Over the years, the ERLC has garnered criticism from some within the convention. Some disliked the ERLC’s opposition to bills that seek to punish women seeking abortion and its ties to the Evangelical Immigration Table, an immigration and refugee resettlement advocacy coalition. Others have questioned the funding ERLC received from outside advocacy groups.
At the SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas, in June, Pastor Willy Rice of Calvary Baptist Church of Clearwater, Florida, introduced a motion to abolish the ERLC, telling those gathered that he “defended the ERLC for years, but I can’t do that anymore.”
“Many have been stunned to learn that outside progressive advocacy groups have financially supported our ERLC, and there’s been no public repentance, no rejection of those alliances,” Rice said.
“My head has to admit what my heart didn’t want to believe. Facts are stubborn things, and the evidence is clear and the trust is broken.”
Steve Willis, senior pastor at One Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, defended the ERLC, highlighting its pro-life efforts, which included helping to provide sonogram machines to pro-life pregnancy care centers, including one where his wife works.
“There is no other entity that has stood for a child’s right to life more than the ERLC,” said Willis. “I encourage this body to continue the support of this vital Southern Baptist ministry and vote no on this recommendation.”
Richard D. Land, ERLC president from 1988 to 2013 and executive editor for The Christian Post, said in a piece co-published by CP that calls to abolish the ERLC were misguided.
“The answer to such disagreements related to one of our entities is greater discussion and dialogue, not eliminating the entity altogether,” wrote Land.
Messengers voted down the proposal. Out of 6,581 ballots cast, 3,744 voted against eliminating the ERLC, which constituted 56.89% of the vote. By contrast, 2,819 voted to abolish the ERLC, or 42.84% of the vote.
In July 2024, Kevin Smith, then chairman of the ERLC Board of Trustees, claimed that Leatherwood had resigned from his position after he released a statement speaking positively of President Joe Biden’s decision not to seek reelection.
However, the ERLC clarified that the purported resignation was untrue, with Smith reportedly acting as an individual to try and oust Leatherwood from his leadership position. Smith apologized for his actions and stepped down from his trustee position.
