Southern Baptists

Southern Baptists elected a new leader who has decried a “decline and drift” within the denomination. His supporters include an outspoken faction seeking to move the solidly conservative body even further to the right. Delegates elected Florida pastor Willy Rice to be its next president by a decisive margin over South Carolina pastor Josh Powell. The vote happened on the opening day of the Southern Baptist Convention's two-day annual meeting in Orlando, Florida. Delegates from across the nation's largest Protestant denomination are expected to vote on a constitutional amendment to formally ban churches with women pastors. The meeting will also address resolutions on antisemitism and immigration.

Thousands of Southern Baptists have voted overwhelmingly to advance a formal ban on churches with women pastors in the nation’s largest conservative evangelical denomination. The vote at their annual meeting sent a clear message that men alone should preach to congregations. They easily exceeded the two-thirds majority required to amend the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution. The ban will require a similar vote at next year’s annual meeting to gain final approval. The amendment would tighten existing restrictions in the Southern Baptist Convention, which already has a faith statement opposing women pastors.