Southern Baptists: A Push for Traditional Marriage and Family Values

The Southern Baptist Convention, a major Protestant group in the United States, recently held its annual meeting in Dallas. Over 10, 000 church representatives gathered to discuss and vote on various resolutions. One of the key topics was the definition of marriage. The convention strongly advocated for marriage to be legally defined as between one man and one woman. They called for the reversal of the 2015 Supreme Court decision, Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. This resolution did not use the word "ban" but clearly stated that they want laws and court rulings supporting same-sex marriage to be overturned. The resolution also touched on other family-related issues. It urged legislators to support policies that encourage childbearing and promote the idea of children as blessings. The convention expressed concern about declining fertility rates and the trend of willful childlessness in modern culture. The meeting also addressed other controversial topics. A resolution on pornography labeled it as destructive, addictive, and exploitive, suggesting that governments should have the power to ban it. The convention has a long-standing opposition to gambling, and a resolution on sports betting called it harmful and predatory. An attempt to distinguish between low-stakes, recreational gambling and more dangerous forms was rejected. The convention's stance on marriage and family is rooted in their interpretation of biblical teachings. They believe that civil law should reflect what they see as the divinely created order. This includes recognizing the biological reality of male and female and opposing any laws or policies that they believe compel people to speak falsehoods about sex and gender. The meeting began with praise sessions and reports of growing baptism numbers. However, it was overshadowed by the recent death of Jennifer Lyell, a whistleblower in the Southern Baptists' sexual abuse scandal. Lyell had alleged sexual abuse by a seminary professor and faced backlash after going public. Her death highlighted the ongoing struggle for reform within the convention. Advocates for reform have criticized the convention's response to the sexual abuse scandal. They argue that the convention has not done enough to protect and care for victims. The convention has acknowledged its failures and has taken some steps, such as creating a way to track pastors and church workers accused of sex abuse. However, advocates say more needs to be done. The convention is also considering other significant changes. They will debate whether to institute a constitutional ban on churches with women pastors and to abolish its public-policy arm, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. The president of the ERLC expressed confidence in the messengers' support despite the "turbulence. " The convention's resolutions reflect their conservative stance on social issues. They are pushing for a return to traditional values and a rejection of what they see as modern cultural trends. However, these stances have sparked debate and criticism, both within and outside the convention.