From its towering white steeple and red-brick facade to its Sunday services filled with rousing gospel hymns and evangelistic sermons, First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, bears many of the classic hallmarks of a Southern Baptist church.

On a recent Sunday, its pastor for women and children, Kim Eskridge, urged members to invite friends and neighbors to an upcoming vacation Bible school — a perennial Baptist activity — to help “reach families in the community with the gospel.”

But because that pastor is a woman, First Baptist’s days in the Southern Baptist Convention may be numbered.

At the SBC’s annual meeting June 11-12 in Indianapolis, representatives will vote on whether to amend the denomination’s constitution to essentially ban churches with any women pastors — and not just in the top job. That measure received overwhelming approval in a preliminary vote last year.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    As an atheist I don’t have skin in the game either way.

    You do, because religious extremists constantly use their texts as an excuse for why they have to support certain legislation.

    Everyone that say they have to be against abortion or LGBT people existing because their Sky Daddy said to, also think other stuff like what you quoted needs to be law too.

    They just know they don’t have the political power yet.

    But if they could, they’d push for women to not be allowed to hold office, have a management position, or even vote.

    This 100% effects all of us, regardless of if we believe in their Sky Daddy.