Russell Moore

Russell Moore

Russell Moore (president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission) is misrepresented by many in the media as speaking for Southern Baptists. As a Southern Baptist deacon/church member for well over 60 years, I believe this to be a lie. Southern Baptist officials are elected at every level of our denomination and all of our churches are autonomous — owning our own property, calling our own pastors, electing our own deacons.

We have no popes, cardinals or bishops to lord over us. We give or do not give through the Cooperative Program as we choose. Each level of our associations and/or conventions depend upon local churches for funds.

Moore is an employee of one of our convention’s entities. The Southern Baptist Convention is not a political organization. However, we make a stand on moral issues, which spills over into political realms.

We did not hire Moore as our spokesman. I strongly advocate defunding the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission.

James J. Kirksey

Robertsdale, Ala.