ERLC reverses course, now says Brent Leatherwood was not fired

[mwai_chat context=”Let’s have a discussion about this article:nn(RNS) — In a head-scratching turn of events, the executive board of the Southern Baptist Convention’s public policy arm now says its leader has not been fired.On Monday evening (July 22), the SBC Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission announced Brent Leatherwood, the group’s president, had been fired — a day after he praised President Joe Biden for ending his reelection bid.
Less than 12 hours later, the ERLC’s executive committee issued a new statement on Tuesday, saying Leatherwood would remain in leadership.
“Brent Leatherwood remains the President of the ERLC and has our support moving forward,” the statement read.
The committee also said ERLC board chair Kevin Smith had acted on his own in announcing that Leatherwood was fired. Smith, a former seminary professor and denominational administrator who currently pastors a church in Florida, has resigned as ERLC chair, according to the statement.
“There was not an authorized meeting, vote, or action taken by the Executive Committee,” the executive committee’s statement said.
Smith, who has served on the ERLC board since 2018, was elected chair last fall.
Eric Costanzo, pastor of South Tulsa Baptist Church and an ERLC trustee board member, praised Leatherwood after it was announced the ERLC president was not fired.
“Brent deserves countless apologies for this error and all the assumptions that came with it,” Costanzo wrote on X. “He has proven to be a faithful leader and man of integrity time and again.”
The confusion over Leatherwood’s status is the latest crisis for the ERLC — which has been embroiled in seemingly endless controversy since the elec …nnDiscussion:nn” ai_name=”RocketNews AI: ” start_sentence=”Can I tell you more about this article?” text_input_placeholder=”Type ‘Yes'”]