Southern Baptists vote to advance a formal ban on churches with women pastors

Key Points:

• The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) voted overwhelmingly (6,028 to 2,026) to advance a constitutional amendment banning women pastors, requiring a two-thirds majority at next year's meeting to finalize the ban.
• The amendment aims to clarify existing restrictions, explicitly excluding churches that affirm or appoint women as pastors or elders who preach to the congregation, reinforcing the denomination's conservative stance on male-only pastoral leadership.
• The vote reflects a clear divide between conservative evangelical beliefs and more liberal Protestant denominations that ordain women, with Southern Baptists citing biblical passages limiting pastors to men, while opponents argue for gender equality in ministry roles.
• The SBC has previously expelled churches, including large ones like Saddleback Church, for having women in senior pastoral roles, using existing constitutional clauses about faith and practice alignment.
• Florida pastor Willy Rice was elected as the new SBC president, supporting the amendment; the denomination continues to engage in debates over religious and political conservatism, including issues like race, gender, immigration, and abortion.