Southern Baptist Convention delegates overwhelmingly approved a resolution on June 10 calling for the reversal of Obergefell v. Hodges. It refers to the 2015 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage.
Meeting in Dallas, Texas, more than 10,000 church representatives, known as messengers, backed language urging lawmakers and courts to roll back decisions and statutes that affirm marriage equality.
The resolution affirms support for marriage “between one man and one woman” and encourages laws that reflect this position. While nonbinding, it marks the first formal call by the nation’s largest Protestant denomination to challenge the legal recognition of same-sex marriage actively.
Resolution committee chair Andrew Walker said conservative Christians inspired the measure through their long-term push to overturn Roe v. Wade, and he described it as part of a similar incremental approach to the courts.
What other issues did the resolution address?
The marriage stance was part of a broader resolution promoting “God’s design” for marriage, gender and family. It advocates for civil laws that reflect biblical principles and natural law, opposes gender identity policies, and urges recognition of “the biological reality of male and female.”
Delegates also endorsed policies encouraging childbearing and criticized what it called “willful childlessness.” The statement describes declining fertility rates as a crisis and calls for cultural and policy responses to promote family formation and stability.
While it does not oppose birth control, the language reflects growing pronatalist themes in religious and political conservative circles, framing larger families as essential to health and national strength.
What did the SBC say about other moral issues?
Delegates passed resolutions condemning pornography and sports betting. The pornography resolution describes the material as addictive, harmful and exploitative, and calls for governments to ban it.
The gambling resolution labels sports betting “predatory” and urges companies, lawmakers and Christians to reject it. A proposed amendment to distinguish between casual and addictive gambling failed to pass.
How did abuse scandals impact the meeting?
The convention was held under a shadow, following the death of Jennifer Lyell, a whistleblower in the denomination’s sexual abuse crisis. Advocates say her passing and the lack of progress in reform led some survivors and reformers to skip this year’s meeting.
The SBC Executive Committee is now requesting $3 million to cover legal costs associated with abuse-related lawsuits. A 2022 initiative to create a database of credibly accused church leaders has stalled, raising fresh concerns among advocates.
What’s next for the convention?
Messengers are expected to vote this week on whether to ban churches with female pastors and to abolish the denomination’s Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. This year’s attendance, just over 10,500, falls short of the denomination’s peak numbers in past decades.
