Southern Baptist president calls for action on sexual abuse

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The president of the Southern Baptist Convention said Monday the denomination has spent years passing resolutions condemning sexual abuse but now it must act.

Pastor J.D. Greear made the remarks at a meeting of the denomination's governing body during a report on the progress of an advisory group on sexual abuse. His comments also come a week after two Texas newspapers published an investigation detailing hundreds of cases of sexual abuse in Southern Baptist churches.

With 15 million members and over 47,000 churches, the Southern Baptist Convention is the nation's largest Protestant denomination.