'My job is to represent Jesus Christ': 6 things to know about SBC President Ed Litton
3) Passionate about racial reconciliation
Litton is known for his passion for bringing about racial reconciliation and has been involved with a coalition called the Pledge Group. The group is described as “a movement of leaders from different racial, denominational [and] vocational backgrounds who want to shrink the racial divide in Mobile, [Alabama].”
Panic over critical race theory within the SBC, he said, is a “distraction” from the real issues facing the denomination.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
“I would hope that we would understand that CRT is a reality in our culture. And I think people are afraid. I don't think they need to be afraid within the Southern Baptist Convention,” he said.
Litton added that CRT is not taught in SBC seminaries or endorsed by the denomination’s professors.
“What we're saying is, it’s a reality in the culture. We need to understand it,” he said. “It's not a tool. We have a higher tool, and a higher tool is the Gospel. The Gospel is a tool we look at to say that we seek justice, and we're under command to seek justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God.”
The pastor noted that over the last three decades, much growth in Southern Baptist churches has come from minority members.
"Asian American groups, Hispanic Americans, African Americans, they are growing at a rate of 232%, while our Anglo congregations are in decline," Litton said.
"So we are grateful for them. They make up a significant number of who we are. So yes, the first thing I say is, we want you here. We love you here. We can't reach every man, woman, boy and girl in this nation without you here.
"And I'm just so grateful for my brothers and sisters in Christ, of color, and I'm so thankful for them. We have much to learn from them."
