Southern Baptists Call For Repeal Of Same-sex Marriage Ruling

Southern Baptist Convention delegates overwhelmingly approved a solution connected June 10 calling for nan reversal of Obergefell v. Hodges. It refers to nan 2015 U.S. Supreme Court determination that legalized same-sex marriage. 

Meeting successful Dallas, Texas, much than 10,000 religion representatives, known arsenic messengers, backed connection urging lawmakers and courts to rotation backmost decisions and statutes that affirm matrimony equality.

The solution affirms support for matrimony “between 1 man and 1 woman” and encourages laws that bespeak this position. While nonbinding, it marks nan first general telephone by nan nation’s largest Protestant denomination to situation nan ineligible nickname of same-sex matrimony actively.

Resolution committee chair Andrew Walker said blimpish Christians inspired nan measurement done their semipermanent push to overturn Roe v. Wade, and he described it arsenic portion of a akin incremental attack to nan courts.

What different issues did nan solution address?

The matrimony stance was portion of a broader solution promoting “God’s design” for marriage, gender and family. It advocates for civilian laws that bespeak biblical principles and earthy law, opposes gender personality policies, and urges nickname of “the biologic reality of antheral and female.” 

Delegates besides endorsed policies encouraging childbearing and criticized what it called “willful childlessness.” The connection describes declining fertility rates arsenic a situation and calls for taste and argumentation responses to beforehand family statement and stability. 

While it does not reason commencement control, nan connection reflects increasing pronatalist themes successful belief and governmental blimpish circles, framing larger families arsenic basal to wellness and nationalist strength.

What did nan SBC opportunity astir different civilized issues?

Delegates passed resolutions condemning pornography and sports betting. The pornography solution describes nan worldly arsenic addictive, harmful and exploitative, and calls for governments to prohibition it. 

The gambling solution labels sports betting “predatory” and urges companies, lawmakers and Christians to cull it. A projected amendment to separate betwixt casual and addictive gambling grounded to pass.

How did maltreatment scandals effect nan meeting?

The normal was held nether a shadow, pursuing nan decease of Jennifer Lyell, a whistleblower successful nan denomination’s intersexual maltreatment crisis. Advocates opportunity her passing and nan deficiency of advancement successful betterment led immoderate survivors and reformers to skip this year’s meeting.

The SBC Executive Committee is now requesting $3 cardinal to screen ineligible costs associated pinch abuse-related lawsuits. A 2022 inaugural to create a database of credibly accused religion leaders has stalled, raising caller concerns among advocates.

What’s adjacent for nan convention?

Messengers are expected to ballot this week connected whether to prohibition churches pinch female pastors and to abolish nan denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. This year’s attendance, conscionable complete 10,500, falls short of nan denomination’s highest numbers successful past decades.