By Sharon Bernstein
(Reuters) – The outgoing president of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) railed against racism and the influence of politics within the conservative U.S. evangelical movement in a Tuesday speech aimed at quelling a hard move to the right among some leaders.
J.D. Greear, a North Carolina pastor who has worked to diversify the denomination’s leadership, spoke at the annual meeting of the largest U.S. Protestant denomination during this week’s convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
“We ought not make it hard for our Black friends to find God,” said Greear, who heads the Summit Church in Durham, North Carolina, and was elected to his post in June 2018. “Don’t make it hard for Democrats. Don’t make it hard for public school teachers and police officers,” he said in a speech that drew a standing ovation.
His words come at a time of deep division among many pastors and members over such issues as racism, the role of women and controversy over the church’s response to a sex abuse scandal.
Numerous Black leaders have left the church in recent months, after six SBC seminary presidents, all white men, denounced critical race theory, a framework of ideas developed by academics of color for understanding the history of systemic racism that has become a flashpoint for the far right.
Former President Donald Trump put the spotlight on critical race theory in September when he issued an executive order directing all federal agencies to cease diversity trainings among employees, just months after the country experienced nationwide protests against racism following the murder of George Floyd.
Of the approximately 47,500 churches in the Southern Baptist Convention, about 38,700 are Anglo churches and 3,400 are African-American churches, according the denomination’s data. The convention’s total membership includes 14.5 million people across the United States.
On Tuesday, the denomination’s resolutions committee revealed a series of resolutions for consideration at the meeting. One addresses race but pointedly avoids mentioning critical race theory, in an apparent effort to craft a compromise that would not alienate members of color.
Instead of condemning critical race theory, which the denomination two years ago said could provide valuable insight if used in a subordinate way to the Bible, the new resolution instead calls for unity and reaffirms its opposition to racism.
The nod to opponents of critical race theory can be found in some language, such as the statement that “We …reject any theory or worldview that finds the ultimate identity of human beings in ethnicity or in any other group dynamic.”
The Southern Baptist Convention is trying to increase membership and diversify its ranks as the denomination faces a decline. Baylor University religious historian Barry Hankins told Reuters about 2 million people left the church in recent years.
Attendees, called Messengers, will vote on that resolution and several others during this week’s convention in Nashville, Tennessee.
Other divisive issues, including a decision by the denomination’s executive board not to expand an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by clergy and other leaders, also will come before the group.
In addition to choosing new leadership, attendees will consider resolutions indicating the denomination’s position on issues including racism and abortion; on whether to condemn the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6; and on opposing the use of misinformation to elevate a political candidate.
(Reporting by Sharon Bernstein; Editing by Colleen Jenkins and Aurora Ellis)
