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SBC Votes to Ban Women Pastors, Elects Rice President

6/11/2026

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Summary

Story summary

The Southern Baptist Convention approved an amendment banning women pastors at its Orlando, Florida, meeting, with a 75% vote of 6,028 to 2,026.
Delegates elected Florida pastor Willy Rice to SBC president with 58% vote over Josh Powell.
The amendment must obtain a two-thirds majority at the 2027 meeting to become binding.
Baptist Women in Ministry condemned the vote and cited Doug Mize’s claim that expulsion rules address the issue.

History

Historical Context

Since the 1984 SBC resolution that formally barred women from pastoral leadership—when the convention counted roughly 250 women pastors—the denomination reinforced male-only ministry by adding a complementarian clause to the 1998 Baptist Faith and Message and revising it again in 2000. In June 2024, messengers at the Orlando meeting voted to amend the constitution, continuing the long-standing gender restriction.

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Story summary

The Southern Baptist Convention approved an amendment banning women pastors at its Orlando, Florida, meeting, with a 75% vote of 6,028 to 2,026.
Delegates elected Florida pastor Willy Rice to SBC president with 58% vote over Josh Powell.
The amendment must obtain a two-thirds majority at the 2027 meeting to become binding.
Baptist Women in Ministry condemned the vote and cited Doug Mize’s claim that expulsion rules address the issue.

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