Richard Land, born October 4, 1947, in the Bronx, New York, is a prominent American evangelical leader and former president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) from 1988 to 2013. Raised in Houston, Texas, after his family moved there when he was young, Land earned a BA in History from Princeton University in 1969, a Master of Divinity from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 1972, and a DPhil in theology from Oxford University in 1980. His early career included roles as a pastor and in Southern Baptist Convention leadership, positioning him as a vocal advocate for conservative positions on abortion, same-sex marriage, religious liberty, and immigration. Land hosted the nationally syndicated radio show 'Bring It On with Richard Land' and contributed columns to publications like The Washington Times. In 2012, he faced significant controversy over plagiarized columns on foreign policy issues, which he attributed to research assistants, leading to his resignation from the ERLC in 2013. That year, he also drew criticism for comments on the Trayvon Martin case, suggesting racial motivations in media coverage and government actions, which were condemned by some Southern Baptists as racially inflammatory and led to an independent review clearing him of racism but highlighting poor judgment. Post-ERLC, Land served as president of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 2013 to 2021. He later joined The Christian Post as Executive Editor and became Christian Ethics Scholar in Residence at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Land continues to influence evangelical discourse on politics and culture through writing, speaking, and media.