Southern Baptists Move Closer to Constitutional Ban on Women Pastors

The Southern Baptist Convention moved closer to a constitutional ban on women serving as pastors at its annual meeting in June 2026. Delegates voted to advance the proposed amendment, which would embed the existing policy restriction directly into the denomination's governing documents.

The SBC adopted a statement in 2023 declaring that only men should serve as pastors. That policy change led to the removal of several churches from the denomination, including Saddleback Church in California. The new constitutional amendment would make the restriction permanent and require a two-thirds vote to change it in the future.

Supporters of the amendment argued that codifying the policy in the constitution would provide clarity and prevent future leadership from reversing course. They said the Bible clearly limits the pastoral role to men and that the denomination needed to make that position unambiguous.

Critics within the convention said the amendment was unnecessary and would further divide the SBC. Some argued that the existing policy statement was sufficient and that a constitutional change would make the denomination less flexible in addressing future theological questions.

The amendment must pass a second vote at a future annual meeting before it takes effect. If ratified, it would represent one of the most significant changes to the SBC's governing documents in decades.

The debate over women in ministry has been one of the most contentious issues in the SBC for years. The denomination has about 47,000 churches and roughly 13 million members across the United States.