Southern Baptists Advance Constitutional Ban on Churches With Women Pastors
Delegates at the Southern Baptist Convention's annual meeting voted 6,028 to 2,026 to advance an amendment barring churches that appoint women as pastors. The measure requires another two-thirds vote next year to enter the denomination's constitution.
The Boston GlobeDelegates at the Southern Baptist Convention voted Wednesday to advance a constitutional amendment that would bar churches appointing women as pastors from membership. The 6,028-2,026 tally exceeded the two-thirds threshold required at the Orlando meeting.
The amendment tightens an existing faith statement that already opposes women serving as senior pastors. It would exclude any church that affirms, appoints, or endorses a woman in the role of pastor, elder, or overseer who preaches to the congregation.
The denomination has previously removed churches, including Saddleback Church in California, for having women in senior pastoral positions under an existing clause on friendly cooperation. A South Carolina pastor argued the new language is unnecessary because the current mechanism has already been used multiple times.
The amendment's sponsor said the measure addresses a dividing line between liberal and biblical evangelicalism. Brief debate occurred, but no speakers defended the practice of women serving as pastors.
A second two-thirds vote at next year's annual meeting is required for the amendment to become part of the constitution. Messengers will also consider a nonbinding resolution with similar language later Wednesday. The organization Baptist Women in Ministry issued a statement expressing solidarity with women ministers and criticizing the vote's impact on their opportunities.
