A motion to abolish the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission was introduced at the SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas, amid debate over the future of the convention’s policy arm.
Pastor Willy Rice of Calvary Baptist Church of Clearwater, Florida, proposed a motion on Tuesday morning calling on SBC messengers to “vote to abolish the ERLC.”
The motion received the necessary second from one of the other messengers, with Rice’s proposal receiving some applause from those gathered after he gave his proposal.
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For the SBC to eliminate one of its entities, bylaws require a majority vote at two consecutive annual meetings. If Rice’s motion passes this year, it must still be approved again next year.
Motions to defund or abolish the ERLC have been raised at the last three Annual Meetings, but none have been successful. Last year’s attempt garnered support from over 30% of messengers.
William Wolfe, executive director of the Center for Baptist Leadership and a critic of the ERLC, took to his X account to state that the “vote to abolish the ERLC is not a cudgel, it’s a clock.”
“It gives the ERLC one year to make major changes — and come back in Orlando making a case for how they’ve worked to listen to messengers, address issues, and make real changes,” he tweeted. “This is the path to reform.”
Similar thoughts were issued by Tom Buck, senior pastor of First Baptist Church of Lindale, Texas, who wrote that such a vote “isn’t a risky overreaction.”
“It puts ERLC on notice that we’re serious about wanting reform,” Buck wrote. “ERLC will have a year to make real course correction. It requires another vote next year to actually abolish.”
The public policy arm of the SBC traces its roots back to 1908 and has drawn criticism in recent years over its leadership and some of its advocacy positions.
Some within the SBC have taken issue with the ERLC’s past opposition to bills that seek to punish women seeking abortion or its ties to the Evangelical Immigration Table, an immigration and refugee resettlement advocacy coalition. Others have objected to the actions of former ERLC President Russell Moore and his condemnation of President Donald Trump.
“What is the ERLC doing to repair trust with member churches in the SBC? And what can you say to those who have voiced opposition to the ERLC?” wrote David Schrock, pastor for preaching and theology at Occoquan Bible Church in Woodbridge, Virginia, in an article for Christ Over All.
“In light of the recent call for abolition and the questions about leadership at the ERLC, what do Southern Baptists need to know about the ERLC? What is the best version of the ERLC going forward?”
Albert Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, expressed reservations about the ERLC’s relevance on an episode of the “Baptist21” podcast back in April.
Mohler referenced “grave doubts about the utility of the ERLC,” though he stopped short of calling for its abolition, saying it “would be wrong for me to lead any such effort.”
Last month, 10 former SBC presidents signed an open letter declaring their support for the ERLC, spotlighting its socially conservative political advocacy.
“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,” read the letter, in part.
“They are continuing to battle transgender ideology and pornography and to promote biblical values regarding marriage, family, and sexuality. All Southern Baptists owe a debt of gratitude to the historical work of the ERLC.”
While noting that ERLC and other SBC entities “should be open to critique and committed to improvement,” the former presidents added, “there is a difference between refinement and eradication.”
“A sledgehammer is not the tool for adjusting a mirror,” they continued. “Instead of dismantling the ERLC, let us commit to stewarding it wisely. Let us engage as trustees, as messengers, and as cooperative partners — always for the sake of the gospel and never for the sake of division.”
Richard D. Land, who served as ERLC president from 1988 to 2013, believes the ERLC’s role is essential for helping Southern Baptists interpret moral and policy challenges through a biblical lens. In a piece co-published by The Christian Post, Land said 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, who also serves as the executive editor of CP and is president emeritus of the ERLC.
