NASHVILLE (BP) – The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) announced the organization’s policy priorities for the upcoming year through the entity’s annual federal public policy agenda, released Thursday (Jan. 16). The ERLC’s 2025 Public Policy Agenda is once again divided into the entity’s four main focus areas: Life, Religious Liberty, Marriage and Family, and Human Dignity. The agenda was authored by ERLC President Brent Leatherwood and ERLC Public Policy Director Hannah … [Read more...]
New Illinois abortion laws could be trouble for churches, ministries
by Lisa Misner/Illinois Baptist State Association SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (BP) – The Illinois General Assembly continues to find new ways to further enshrine abortion into law. Within the last month, Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed one bill requiring insurance companies to provide full coverage for abortions and another making abortions a protected human rights issue. The actions came just ahead of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago where the party emphasized its commitment to … [Read more...]
Senate nixes religious liberty amendments, approves same-sex marriage
Missouri Sen. Blunt once again supports bill, Sen. Hawley opposes bill EDITOR’S NOTE: This article was updated at 12:50 p.m. with reporting from Pathway staff. WASHINGTON (BP) – The U.S. Senate voted to enshrine same-sex marriage as the law Tuesday (Nov. 29) while rejecting efforts to strengthen religious freedom protections in the proposal. With 12 Republicans joining all Democrats present, the Senate voted 61-36 for the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) after defeating three … [Read more...]
Blunt votes ‘yes,’ Hawley ‘no,’ on same-sex marriage bill
MBC leaders opposed bill prior to vote, calling it an ‘intentional attack on religious freedom’ (EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was updated at 4:35 p.m., Nov. 16, adding additional coverage from Baptist Press below.) WASHINGTON – United States Senators from Missouri were divided, Nov. 16, about whether the lawmaking body should move forward with the so-called "Respect for Marriage Act." Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) voted against moving forward with the bill. But Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who … [Read more...]
Brent Leatherwood elected ERLC president
ERLC trustees unanimously vote Leatherwood into office at board meeting NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ERLC) – Brent Leatherwood has been elected to fill the role as the next president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission by the organization’s trustees. The ERLC board of trustees voted unanimously to appoint Leatherwood during its first session on Sept. 13. Leatherwood, 41, has served as the organization’s acting president since September 2021, following the … [Read more...]
Exclusive: Mohler places ‘nationalism’ in its biblical context
NASHVILLE – Al Mohler is no proponent of “Christian nationalism” despite the online magazine Slate headline: “‘Christian Nationalism’ Used to Be Taboo. Now It’s All the Rage.” Slate, however, erroneously stated in the fourth paragraph of an Aug. 5 article that Mohler called Christian nationalism “idolatrous” after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. Mohler had used the word “idolatrous” five times during his “The Briefing” podcast on Jan. 21, but in context noted that “it is not fair to … [Read more...]
Southern Baptist messengers approve Sexual Abuse Task Force recommendations
ANAHEIM (BP) – Southern Baptists responded with an overwhelming majority in favor of adopting the two recommendations presented by the Sexual Abuse Task Force presented June 14 at the 2022 SBC Annual Meeting. Task Force chair Bruce Frank didn’t mince words with messengers, calling it a “Kairos moment” for the Convention. After a lot of talk, actions were about to speak loudest. “Today we will choose between humility or hubris,” he said. “We will choose between genuine repentance or … [Read more...]
Longtime, pro-life advocates in SBC rejoice at Roe’s demise
NASHVILLE (BP)—Southern Baptists who have advocated for preborn children and their mothers for decades rejoiced at the U.S. Supreme Court’s reversal of nearly 50 years of nationwide, legalized abortion while acknowledging much work remains. A day many persistent, pro-life advocates had long sought and prayed for arrived June 24, when the high court overruled its 1973 Roe v. Wade opinion – as well as the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey ruling that affirmed Roe — and returned abortion … [Read more...]
MBTS president to keynote National Day of Prayer event at Missouri Capitol
JEFFERSON CITY – Jason Allen, president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City will be the featured speaker for this year’s National Day of Prayer observance in the Rotunda of the State Capitol at noon on May 5. Elected Oct. 15, 2012, Allen serves as the fifth president of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and is one of the youngest presidents in all of American higher education. Since coming to Midwestern Seminary, he has led the institution to become one of the … [Read more...]
ERLC trustees hear update from presidential search
NASHVILLE (BP) – The selection process for a new president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is progressing, trustees of the Southern Baptist Convention entity were told Thursday, Feb. 17. Todd Howard, chair of the presidential search committee, provided a report on filling the leadership position for the ERLC during a trustees meeting held by means of an online video conference. The committee has the responsibility of bringing a candidate to the full trustee board to … [Read more...]
ERLC leaders accused of ‘blatant deception’
EDITOR'S NOTE: Chris Turner and Lonnie Wilkey wrote this article originally for the Tennessee Baptist & Reflector. Story updated on Oct. 12, 2021 by Pathway staff. NASHVILLE (Tennessee Baptist & Reflector) – Former Ethics and Religious Liberties Commission President Russell Moore and then-ERLC board chair David Prince committed a “blatant deception” by consciously concealing from ERLC trustees information that was eventually leaked to the press ahead of the 2021 annual Southern … [Read more...]
ERLC presidential search committee named
NASHVILLE (BP) – A search committee has been named to find a successor to Russell Moore as president of the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. On behalf of the ERLC Executive Committee, David Prince, chairman of the commission’s trustees, announced Tuesday (July 6) the selection of Todd Howard as chairman of the presidential search committee. Howard is the pastor of Watson Chapel Baptist Church in Pine Bluff, Ark. The other trustees named to the committee and … [Read more...]
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