[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 100 (Friday, June 29, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Page S4777]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 518--CONGRATULATING THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION 
FOR ELECTION REVEREND FRED LUTER, JR., AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE SOUTHERN 
 BAPTIST CONVENTION, ACKNOWLEDGING REVEREND LUTER'S UNIQUE ROLE AS THE 
 FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN LEADER OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, AND 
   HONORING THE COMMITMENT OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION TO AN 
              INCLUSIVE FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY AND SOCIETY

  Ms. LANDRIEU submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                              S. Res. 518

       Whereas the Southern Baptist Convention formed in 1845 in 
     Augusta, Georgia, in opposition to the abolition of slavery;
       Whereas the Southern Baptist Convention supported racial 
     segregation for much of the twentieth century;
       Whereas the Southern Baptist Convention issued a resolution 
     stating that the Convention sought to purge itself and 
     society of all racism in 1978;
       Whereas the Southern Baptist Convention issued a resolution 
     denouncing racism as a deplorable sin in 1995;
       Whereas, in 2012, the Southern Baptist Convention is a 
     cooperative of more than 45,000 churches that seek diligently 
     to bring about greater racial and ethnic representation at 
     every level of Southern Baptist institutional life;
       Whereas Reverend Fred Luter, Jr., was born on November 11, 
     1956, in New Orleans, Louisiana;
       Whereas Reverend Luter preached his first church sermon in 
     1983 at the Law Street Baptist Church in New Orleans, 
     Louisiana;
       Whereas Reverend Luter became the pastor of Franklin Avenue 
     Baptist Church in 1986;
       Whereas, under the leadership of Reverend Luter, the 
     Franklin Avenue Baptist Church community grew from 65 members 
     in 1986 to more than 7,000 members in 2005;
       Whereas the Franklin Avenue Baptist Church was destroyed in 
     2005 by Hurricane Katrina and lost approximately 2,000 
     members;
       Whereas Reverend Luter, in cooperation with Reverend David 
     Crosby, found a temporary home for Franklin Avenue Baptist 
     Church during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina;
       Whereas, continuing that spirit of cooperation, Reverend 
     Crosby nominated Reverend Luter to become president of the 
     Southern Baptist Convention;
       Whereas Reverend Luter was elected to be the first African-
     American president of the Southern Baptist Convention on June 
     19, 2012; and
       Whereas the election of Reverend Luter brings great pride 
     and honor to the membership of the Southern Baptist 
     Convention: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the Southern Baptist Convention for 
     electing Reverend Fred Luter, Jr., as the president of the 
     Southern Baptist Convention;
       (2) acknowledges Reverend Luter's unique role as the first 
     African-American leader of the Southern Baptist Convention; 
     and
       (3) honors the commitment of the Southern Baptist 
     Convention to an inclusive faith-based community and society.

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