Religion and Politics

Prominent Southern Baptists Are Dropping “Southern” Name Amid Racial Unrest

The Washington Post‘s Sarah Pulliam Bailey reports, “Leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention are increasingly dropping the ‘Southern’ part of their Baptist name, calling it a potentially painful reminder of the convention’s historic role in support of slavery.” There is a push to adopt the name “Great Commission Baptists,” and SBC President J.D. Greear “says hundreds of church leaders in several Southern states have committed to using the alternate name.” Some critics are concerned that the name change could paper over the convention’s history on race without truly dealing with it. Author Jemar Tisby said, “I don’t know the denomination as a whole has done a good job of teaching its sordid history. Changing the name now might make that even harder.”

Read at The Washington Post

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