The Christian Media reaction to Brent Leatherwood’s both abrupt and long-awaited resignation was a landmark moment in the Southern Baptist Convention. But not all of Christian media is welcoming of the news like Evangelical Dark Web, Center For Baptist Leadership, and Protestia. Christian Post is lamenting the news and is refusing to acknowledge Leatherwood’s tumultuous and liberal reign. Richard Land, the Christian Post executive editor pens the fluff piece.
He assumed leadership of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (the public policy entity of Southern Baptists) in the midst of the vortex of controversy left in the wake of Russell Moore’s exit as head of the entity in 2021 after eight years of service.
Richard Land was Russell Moore’s predecessor at the ERLC. And Land, surprisingly, does not defend his successor, despite also being a liberal, nor does he connect Moore to Leatherwood, even though the apple fell straight from the tree. Land’s personal statement was as follows:
“The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission and Southern Baptists owe a great debt of gratitude to Brent Leatherwood who accepted leadership at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission during a time of turmoil and crisis. He worked tirelessly to restore the Southern Baptists’ confidence in the ERLC during his tenure of leadership.
“I know from experience that being the head of the ERLC in many ways makes you a lightning rod for criticism from many different directions as you deal with a plethora of controversial issues.
“Brent served with grace and integrity and Southern Baptists should join me in being grateful for his leadership and ministry.”
Brent Leatherwood’s integrity means doing little of his actual job and engaging in pet projects like suppressing the Nashville Tranifesto and lobbying for gun control in Tennessee. Richard Land, however much his influence still applies to Southern Baptist life, is lobbying for the next head of the ERLC to be just like Leatherwood, Moore, and ultimately himself.
