Former ERLC president says he was ‘convinced’ ERLC had ‘consensus to remove Brent Leatherwood’

In a statement to Baptist Press, Kevin Smith, former board chair of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), said he was “convinced … that we had a consensus for remove Brent Leatherwood as President of the ERLC.”

Earlier this week, Smith released a statement on behalf of the ERLC announcing that ERLC President Brent Leatherwood had been fired.

“In accordance with our bylaws, the executive committee has removed Brent Leatherwood as president. Further details, as well as plans for the transition, will be provided at our board meeting in September,” the statement said on Monday night.

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But the following morning, the ERLC withdrew the statement and instead announced this Smith resigned, saying: “As members of the ERLC Executive Committee, we are officially retracting the press release that was sent out yesterday. There was no authorized meeting, vote or action taken by the Executive Committee. Kevin Smith has resigned as Chairman of the Executive Committee.”

Smith told Baptist Press that “it has been my honor to serve as a trustee on the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention.”

Speaking about the circumstances of his resignation, Smith said, “After several conversations with members of the ERLC Executive Committee, I was convinced in my mind that we had a consensus to remove Brent Leatherwood as ERLC President.”

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“This is a sensitive matter, and in an effort to resolve it quickly, we have acted in good faith, but without a formal vote of the Executive Committee,” Smith added. “It was an error on my part and I take full responsibility.”

Smith said that “at this time, the Executive Committee does not wish to move forward with my course of action” on removing Leatherwood.

“Therefore, I am resigning as chairman of the ERLC Board of Trustees and as a trustee,” he said.

After sharing his love for the SBC and the ERLC, Smith concluded by saying that he trusts the “Executive Committee to take the best course of action moving forward” and “looks forward to focusing on the ministry of the church ( sa) from the neighborhood”.