The Southern Baptist Convention: A Legacy of White Supremacy and Biblical Misalignment
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, yet its origins and historical trajectory are deeply entangled with white supremacy, slavery, and racial injustice. From its founding in 1845 to its modern political and social stances, the SBC has frequently used the Bible as a tool to justify racial oppression, while often contradicting the very scriptures it claims to uphold. Although the denomination has made some public attempts to distance itself from its racist past, it continues to harbor systemic issues that reflect its deep-rooted ideologies of white dominance and exclusion.
Origins: A Church Built on Slavery and White Supremacy
The SBC was established in 1845 in Augusta, Georgia, as a direct response to the national debate over slavery. While the Baptist church in the North was growing increasingly critical of slavery, Southern Baptists insisted on their right to own slaves, citing biblical justifications. The founding members of the SBC argued that slavery was ordained by God and supported by scripture, particularly referencing passages such as Ephesians 6:5 (“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling”) and other Old Testament texts regulating slavery. These interpretations, however, ignored the broader biblical themes of justice, mercy, and the inherent worth of all humans.
This theological defense of slavery positioned the SBC as a key religious institution in maintaining the racial hierarchy of the antebellum South. Baptist ministers not only owned enslaved people but also preached pro-slavery sermons that assured their congregants of divine approval. Their justification for slavery was not merely theological but economic and social, ensuring that Southern white Christians could continue to benefit from the forced labor of Black people.
Post-Civil War to Civil Rights: Continued Racial Oppression
Following the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, the SBC maintained its commitment to white supremacy through segregationist policies and active opposition to racial equality. Southern Baptist leaders supported Jim Crow laws, enforced racial segregation within churches, and resisted calls for integration. Many SBC churches refused to accept Black members, and Southern Baptist pastors were among the most vocal critics of the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s.
Rather than advocating for racial justice, the SBC largely aligned itself with the dominant white culture in the South, often providing theological cover for policies that marginalized Black Americans. Pastors and congregants justified segregation by twisting scripture to imply that God had ordained racial divisions, despite biblical passages like Galatians 3:28, which explicitly states that “there is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
The Late 20th Century: Public Apologies but Persistent Racism
In 1995, after 150 years of defending or ignoring its racist past, the SBC issued a formal apology for its role in slavery and racism. The denomination expressed regret for its support of white supremacy and pledged to pursue racial reconciliation. However, this statement was largely symbolic, and the structural issues of racism within the SBC remained intact.
Despite the apology, the denomination has continued to be a stronghold for conservative politics, often opposing policies that promote racial equity. The SBC has frequently found itself at odds with movements like Black Lives Matter, framing racial justice efforts as “Marxist” or “unbiblical.” This resistance demonstrates that, while the SBC may acknowledge its past sins, it remains reluctant to embrace meaningful change.
Present-Day White Supremacy and Political Alliances
In contemporary America, the SBC continues to promote policies and ideologies that disproportionately favor white conservative evangelicals. The denomination is heavily aligned with right-wing politics, frequently advocating for policies that undermine racial justice, such as restrictive voting laws, opposition to immigration reform, and resistance to discussions on systemic racism in education and churches.
Moreover, the SBC has been a significant force in the Christian nationalist movement, which seeks to define the U.S. as a fundamentally white Christian nation. This movement, rooted in the same theological framework that defended slavery, continues to use the Bible selectively to justify exclusionary and oppressive policies. While the denomination claims to oppose racism, its actions often suggest otherwise. By refusing to confront its structural racism and actively working against racial equity, the SBC perpetuates the very white supremacist ideologies it once formally endorsed.
The Bible as a Tool for Oppression
The SBC’s history demonstrates a consistent pattern of using the Bible not as a text of liberation but as a tool for maintaining power structures that benefit white Christians. From its justification of slavery to its ongoing resistance to racial justice, the denomination has cherry-picked scripture to support its ideological goals while ignoring the broader biblical calls for justice, equality, and love.
For instance, while Southern Baptist leaders eagerly cite verses about obedience and submission to justify past and present injustices, they often neglect passages like Isaiah 1:17, which calls on believers to “learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.” This selective reading of scripture reveals that the SBC’s theological positions are not primarily about biblical fidelity but about maintaining a racial and social hierarchy that benefits white conservatives.
Conclusion: A Denomination at Odds with Scripture
While the Southern Baptist Convention continues to hold significant cultural and political influence, its historical and ongoing ties to white supremacy and racial exclusion reveal a deep misalignment with the very scriptures it claims to follow. By using the Bible as a means to justify slavery, segregation, and racial inequity, the SBC has consistently positioned itself on the wrong side of justice. If the denomination truly seeks to be faithful to biblical principles, it must go beyond performative apologies and engage in real, systemic change—one that prioritizes racial justice, inclusion, and a true understanding of scripture.
Until the SBC fully reckons with its past and actively works against the racial injustices it helped create and sustain, it will remain a denomination whose theology is not rooted in biblical truth, but in the preservation of white power.