Evangelical Christians were a routine existence in the Trump White House. They laid hands on the president as they prayed for him, stood at his shoulder as he signed executive orders, and saw vindication for their support in his antiabortion policies and conservative judicial visits.
Now, the Southern Baptist Convention, the nations largest and most prominent evangelical denomination, is at war over what instructions it will take after the Trump presidency.
One faction argues the SBC ought to step back from its function in electoral politics in order to expand its reach and reverse a 15-year decrease in subscription. Another faction states the denomination has been wandering to the left, and the way to keep and attract members is to recommit to its conservative roots and stay politically engaged. Each side accuses the other of straying from the SBCs core objective.
The internal cracks took off into public view when Russell Moore, the SBCs leading lobbyist in Washington and a regular critic of Donald Trump, suddenly revealed his resignation in May. Recently, letters he composed criticizing other high-ranking SBC officials over their handling of sex-abuse accusations and mindsets about race became public.
Mr. Moores sudden departure comes as the groups president, J.D. Greear, ends his term this month, leaving two of the denominations most prominent jobs, which help define evangelicalism, open at the same time.