Mississippi Baptist Convention calls for new state flag

Citing the Biblical teaching to “love your neighbor as yourself,” Mississippi Baptist leaders encouraged state officials to adopt a new flag that “represents the dignity of every Mississippian and promotes unity rather than division.” Along with current leaders of the Mississippi Baptist Convention Board, every living former president of the board signed the statement in support of removing the Confederate Naval Jack, seen by many as a symbol of racism, from the state flag.

Will they actually change it? Reformed Theological Seminary President Ligon Duncan also released a statement in favor of a new flag. But lawmakers have expressed doubt they can pull together the votes to change the design or put it to a referendum, Mississippi Today reported. Some lawmakers floated the idea of having two state flags, but Republican Gov. Tate Reeves shot down the idea, calling it a “Separate but Equal flag option.”

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Leigh Jones’ report about the Southern Baptist Convention denouncing the Confederate flag in 2016.