Southern Baptist Convention President proposes gender and sexuality amendment

Willy Rice, President of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), has proposed amending the Baptist Faith & Message to include a specific article addressing gender and human sexuality. Speaking to the SBC Executive Committee, Rice argued that the amendment is necessary to address cultural shifts regarding the definition of marriage and the nature of humanity.

Rice stated that the denomination believes there is only one definition of marriage and two genders. He suggested modeling the new language after a statement adopted by the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, which defines gender as a fixed matter of human biology and marriage as a union between one man and one woman.

The SBC Executive Committee is scheduled to vote in February on whether to present the proposed amendment to messengers at next year’s SBC Annual Meeting. For the amendment to be officially adopted, it must receive at least two-thirds approval from messengers in two consecutive years.