Pence Speech Riles Some As Southern Baptists’ Moderates Gain Strength

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at the Southern Baptist Convention meeting on Wednesday in Dallas, Texas.

The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the country, wrapped up its annual meeting Wednesday on a partisan tone. The featured speaker was Vice President Pence, who spoke of the day he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior and of the importance of prayer, but mostly delivered a speech fit for a campaign rally.

“Let me begin by bringing greetings from a good friend of mine who just got back to the White House this morning — a man who, I can tell you, has been delivering every day to protect faith and restore freedom across this country,” Pence said. “I bring greetings from the 45th president of the United States of America, President Donald Trump!”

Evangelical Christians have been dogged in their support for the administration, polls have shown, and the Southern Baptist Convention reaction was generally enthusiastic. Pence got his biggest standing ovation when he highlighted Trump moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem.