ERLC head Brent Leatherwood resigns; acting president named

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Thursday, July 31, 2025The president of the Southern Baptist Convention Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission Brent Leatherwood speaks during a panel discussion about religious persecution around the world and its connection to U.S. refugee resettlement and asylum policies on Sept. 20, 2023, at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C. | The Christian Post/Nicole VanDykeBrent 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.In a statement, Leatherwood said he is stepping down because he believes that it is “time to close this chapter of my life.”Get Our Latest News for FREESubscribe to get daily/weekly email with the top stories (plus special offers!) from The Christian Post. Be the first to know.”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.”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.  Follow Michael Gryboski on Twitter or Facebook