Top Southern Baptist official resigns over 'morally inappropriate' relationship

On Tuesday, Frank Page announced his retirement as CEO and president of the Southern Baptist Convention's executive committee and from active ministry, saying his daughter was urging him and his wife to move to South Carolina from Nashville to be closer to family. On Thursday evening, Page, 65, changed his story.

"As a result of a personal failing, I have embarrassed my family, my Lord, myself, and the Kingdom," Page said in a statement through the Baptist Press. "Out of a desire to protect my family and those I have hurt, I initially announced my retirement earlier today without a complete explanation. However, after further wrestling with my personal indiscretion, it became apparent to me that this situation must be acknowledged in a more forthright manner." The chairman of the executive committee, Florida pastor Stephen Rummage, said he learned from Page on Tuesday that his "retirement announcement was precipitated by a morally inappropriate relationship in the recent past." Neither man provided any details.

The executive committee oversees day-to-day operations of the Southern Baptist Convention, a network of Baptist churches with 15 million members, making it the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. Page had served as the president of the executive committee since 2010, and he was president of the Southern Baptist Convention from 2006 to 2008. "I call upon all Southern Baptists to pray for everyone involved in a situation like this, and especially for Dr. and Mrs. Page," Rummage said.

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