Southern Baptists meet amid controversy over leaked letters

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Controversies over the handling of sex abuse cases and critical race theory are likely to dominate the Southern Baptists’ annual meeting, set to begin Tuesday. It comes amid an uproar over leaked letters from former top public policy official Russell Moore. He claims other leaders tried to slow-walk efforts to address sexual abuse and intimidate those who pushed for change. He also says he was the victim of “constant threats from white nationalists” for his racial reconciliation work. The Southern Baptist Convention is the nation’s largest Protestant denomination and has been a powerful force in conservative politics for a generation. More than 16,000 delegates are expected at the meeting.