The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission exists to assist churches by helping them understand the moral demands of the gospel, apply Christian principles to moral and social problems and questions of public policy, and to promote religious liberty in cooperation with the churches and other Southern Baptist entities.

The ERLC has offices in Washington, D.C. and Nashville, TN.

The Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission is an entity of the Southern Baptist Convention and is governed by 33 trustees who are independently selected and approved by the Southern Baptist Convention. The trustees of the ERLC establish bylaws, elect officers, transact business, and directly oversee the executive heads. The board of trustees of the ERLC have the full authority to direct the entity. As with the boards of the other 10 SBC entities, SBC messengers can make requests of the ERLC board and the Executive Committee of the SBC can provide assistance, but neither can interfere with the entity’s internal affairs.