North American Mission Board trustees decided Feb. 6 that while the agency’s Chaplains Commission “is committed to endorse chaplains, both men and women,” it will no longer endorse women who have been ordained. The action came in response to a motion from the 2001 Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in New Orleans.
“The Chaplains Commission has not required or considered ordination in the endorsement of chaplains in the past,” trustees said in their response. “However, in the future we will refrain from endorsing ordained women to the office of chaplain. We recognize ordination as a local church action, but endorsement and its requirement is the action of a national agency.”
The action on chaplaincy endorsement was a response to a motion that the SBC direct the Chaplains Commission “to stop endorsing women to the chaplaincy and adhere to both the scriptural requirements and the requirements of the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message involving the pastorate, the exercise of spiritual authority and ordination.”
As trustees studied the issue, it was ordination of women that became a key concern.
“The issue of ordination is not addressed in the Baptist Faith and Message, and the Bible does not clearly set forth a detailed description of the practice of ordination as it is commonly observed today,” the response continues. “However, Southern Baptists, following scriptural principles, have developed a rich and meaningful tradition of ordaining God-called men into the ministry.”
(BP)
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