Southern Baptists reprimand ‘racially charged’ remarks

Leader loses his radio show after criticizing reaction to the Trayvon Martin case.

HOUSTON — Richard Land, a prominent Southern Baptist leader, saw his weekly radio show canceled Friday after having used it to criticize President Obama and black pastors’ response to the Trayvon Martin shooting.

The Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Committee also issued Land two reprimands — for the “racially charged” comments and for using material from the Washington Times without properly crediting the newspaper. Land had served as president of the ethics committee since 1988.

The move comes as the convention prepares to elect a black preacher from New Orleans as its president. The Rev. Fred Luter Jr. will become the first African American to head the convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

Many Baptists view Luter’s election as a sign that the church is moving beyond its racially tinged past. To some Baptists, this made Land’s comments all the more unfortunate.

During a March 31 broadcast of “Richard Land Live!” Land accused Obama, the Rev. Jesse Jackson and the Rev. Al Sharpton of attempting to capitalize on the fatal shooting of the black Florida teenager. He also appeared to justify racial profiling.

Members of the committee called the comments “hurtful, irresponsible” and “insensitive.”

Land initially defended his remarks, then backpedaled, meeting with a group of African American pastors May 2, and issuing written apologies a week later to the convention president, Luter and the public.

But Baptist officials who investigated the incident said that was not enough.

“We are particularly disappointed in Dr. Land’s words because they do not accurately reflect the body of his work over a long career at the ERLC toward racial reconciliation in the Southern Baptist Convention and American life,” officials wrote Friday. “We must now redouble our efforts to regain lost ground, to heal reopened wounds, and to realize the dream of a Southern Baptist Convention that is just as diverse as the population of our great nation.”

Officials said the show “will end as soon as possible within the bounds of our contracts with the Salem Radio Network.”

Land appeared to accept officials’ decision Friday.

“I have said on numerous occasions that I believe in trustee oversight and governance. I am under the authority of the trustees elected by the Southern Baptist Convention. This whole process was conducted in a Christian manner by Christian gentlemen,” he said in a statement.

African American Southern Baptist leaders applauded the decision, and said they were willing to forgive Land.

“We accept his apology and covenant not only to hold him accountable in the future but to work arm-inarm in the cause of racial healing,” said the Rev. James Dixon Jr., president of the convention’s National African American Fellowship, in a statement.

Dixon added: “Racial reconciliation is not a political issue for us. It is a gospel issue.”