Southern Baptists Formed to Defend Slavery
The Southern Baptist denomination formally split from northern Baptists in 1845, specifically over slavery after bitter theological disputes about mission work. Religious leaders like Richard Furman passionately defended the practice as biblically sanctioned and morally acceptable for Christians. Their 1844 resolutions explicitly endorsed slaveholding as compatible with Christian duty and moral character. This stubborn pro-slavery stance continued until their belated formal apology in 1995, leaving a painful legacy.
