Southern Baptist leader resigns amid abuse review division

By HOLLY MEYER
Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A top Southern Baptist Convention leader says he will resign after weeks of denominational division over a sexual abuse review. In a statement, Ronnie Floyd said Oct. 31 will be his last day as president and CEO of the convention’s Executive Committee. He said, “I will not and cannot any longer fulfill the duties placed upon me.” Floyd pointed to recent decisions related to the third-party investigation into how the Executive Committee handled sexual abuse reports. On Oct. 5, a divided Executive Committee voted to waive its attorney-client privilege. The largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. has been grappling with a sex abuse scandal for years.