The annual meeting of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is often described as the largest democratic gathering in the world. This year 9,637 Baptists from across the United States, including 452 Alabamians, congregated in one room of the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas to conduct the business of the largest evangelical denomination in America.
While this was not the largest gathering of SBC messengers (45,519 met in Dallas in 1985), the meeting demonstrated how unpredictable democracy can be.
Going into the meeting, messengers generally had a sense of relief after former Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary President Paige Patterson announced he would not deliver the convention sermon nor attend the annual meeting. Less than two weeks before, Patterson had been removed as president emeritus of Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Patterson’s decision would help avoid a major controversy, most felt.
But before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott could welcome messengers to his state, the meeting was embroiled in the first of many debates. Some messengers challenged the proposed agenda. They objected to having Vice President Mike Pence on the convention program, calling his presence “insensitive” to African-Americans and other minority brothers and sisters.
It did not help when messengers learned the White House had asked for Pence to speak.
After nearly a half-hour of debate, the invitation was affirmed. But the issue did not die.
‘Political stump speech’
Pence was allotted 15 minutes but spoke for 40. In his first five minutes, he shared his Christian testimony. In his last five minutes, he commended Southern Baptists for their worldwide missions and ministry efforts.
The rest of the time was devoted to a political stump speech including a call for support in the upcoming fall elections. His performance resulted in motions asking that politicians and office holders be barred from speaking at future SBC annual meetings. The motions were referred to the SBC Executive Committee for consideration.
The annual budget sparked another unexpected debate when a motion was offered to defund the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). The motion was roundly defeated but only after emotional debate.
Re-election of ERLC trustee debated
Another routine item that sparked debate was the report of the Committee on Nominations. The chairman of the ERLC trustees accused the committee of failing to re-nominate an eligible member for a second term because that member was not critical enough of ERLC leadership.
After several back-and-forths, messengers amended the committee report and approved the ERLC trustee for the customary second term.
While the debates demonstrated the unpredictability of a democratically run organization and made a mess of both day’s agendas, the debates also demonstrated the accountability of denominational structures to Southern Baptists as a whole.
A motion was offered to remove Southwestern Seminary trustees who serve on the trustee executive committee (the group that severed ties with Patterson). With only 10 to 15 percent support from the voting messengers present, the motion failed overwhelmingly but the debate illustrated that entity trustees are accountable to the messengers.
Messengers continued their march away from racism in a resolution that stated, in part, “our public renunciation of racism in all its forms, including our disavowal of the ‘curse of Ham’ doctrine and any other attempt to distort or misappropriate the Bible to justify this evil.”
On immigration, messengers said, “We desire to see immigration reform including an emphasis on securing our borders and providing a pathway to legal status with appropriate restitutionary measures, maintaining the priority of family unity.”
Messengers called on governmental authorities to “implement preventive measures that would reduce gun violence and mass shootings” in accordance with the Second Amendment.
These are not positions one would expect to hear from a group largely considered to be part of President Donald Trump’s political base. But the SBC cannot be the most racially and ethnic diverse Protestant denomination without that impacting understanding of Scripture and resulting political positions.
To no one’s surprise messengers condemned spousal abuse saying it “dishonors the marriage covenant and fundamentally blasphemes the relationship between Christ and the Church.” Abuse victims were urged to contact civil authorities and “separate from their abusers.”
While not asking that women serve as pastors, messengers did urge a greater role of leadership for women in the church and in the denomination.
Each seminary president was questioned by messengers about the treatment of women students at their respective seminaries and about women in leadership. Presidents talked about the growing number of female students but the institutions largely remain bastions of male dominance. One seminary, for example, lists 73 faculty members, two of whom are women. The website of that same school lists 14 persons who carry a vice president title. All are male.
One president was asked about reports of male students walking out of preaching labs and other classes when it is the turn of a female student to preach. That question went unanswered.
It will be interesting to see if SBC-related seminaries become more open to women in teaching and administrative roles.
Despite the changes taking place in SBC life, one thing remains constant — Southern Baptists’ commitment to share the gospel with all people everywhere. For this writer, two experiences demonstrated that commitment most clearly. One was gathering around a newly appointed international missionary couple who will serve in Eastern Europe, laying hands on them and praying God’s blessings on their ministry.
‘Best service of convention week’
The other was the closing session of the national Woman’s Missionary Union annual meeting. For me that may have been the best service of convention week. Testimonies from missionaries serving in security-sensitive areas around the world and in North America, words from the leaders of both the International Mission Board and the North American Mission Board, an emphasis on work in local churches and state conventions — the session seemed to illustrate the wholeness that is supposed to be the SBC.
In a day when every part of denominational life seems to think itself the whole, I was grateful to be reminded that we are all working together for a common goal.
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