Stances of Faiths on LGBT Issues: Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the United States, with over 16 million members, has fiercely discriminated against gay and lesbian people for more than a quarter-century. It condemns gay and lesbian people, whether they engage in same-sex relationships or not. It also condemns heterosexual people and institutions that acknowledge, accept or support gays and lesbians, and has criticized public schools that teach students about gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender issues.
The SBC has passed numerous resolutions on gay and lesbian issues since 1976, repeatedly asserting its commitment to preach, teach and politically organize against gay and lesbian people and their supporters. Unlike many Christian denominations that oppose discrimination against gay and lesbian people in civil society, the SBC has gone on record as supporting it.
The SBC opposes marriage equality for same-sex couples. It prohibits congregations from blessing same-sex unions or ordaining gay and lesbian clergy. It is even opposed to the establishment of gay-straight alliances in schools and legislation that would ban discrimination in the workplace.
It has, to date, been silent on transgender members.
On Gay and Lesbian People
In a 1996 “Resolution on a Christian Response to Homosexuality,” the SBC declared that “even a desire to engage in a homosexual relationship is always sinful, impure, degrading, shameful, unnatural, indecent and perverted.”
In the 2000 Baptist Faith and Message statement, the SBC equated homosexuality with adultery and pornography, declaring, “In the spirit of Christ, Christians should oppose … all forms of sexual immorality, including adultery, homosexuality and pornography.”
The SBC calls on its members to a “love the sinner but hate the sin” approach and affirms the possibility of reorientation from same-sex attraction and supports “ex-gay” ministries. As the SBC website states:
“Christians can, and should, minister to homosexuals in a kind, yet firm manner. The church should never turn its back on homosexuals who are searching and seeking to heal the hurts within their lives. … While God hates the sinner in his sin, we are called to love the sinner and hate the sin. In doing so, Christ can work through our lives to touch those lost in a world of confusion and darkness.”
Some SBC leaders have also been outspoken in their condemnation of public schools teaching their students about LGBT issues. At the denomination’s annual meeting in June 2005, a group of anti-gay delegates proposed a resolution that would have encouraged Southern Baptists to remove their children from their local public schools if the schools offered “curricula or programs that treat homosexuality as an acceptable lifestyle.” Following protests from LGBT-rights activists including the Human Rights Campaign, the convention instead passed a somewhat milder resolution that simply encouraged parents to take action against schools that promoted tolerance. At the same meeting, the SBC also reiterated its opposition to safe schools programs and diversity training.
Resources for LGBT Southern Baptists:
The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists
Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty
Both the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (http://www.thefellowship.info) and the Alliance of Baptists (http://www.allianceofbaptists.org) emerged from the 1980’s fundamentalist takeover of the Southern Baptist Convention as networks for moderate to progressive Baptist congregations and seminaries.
Headquarters Location
If you would like to communicate with the Southern Baptist Convention, here is their mailing address:
The Southern Baptist Convention
901 Commerce Street
Nashville, TN 37203-3699
