A group of Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) pastors and ministry leaders issued a renewed call to ban women from serving as pastors within the denomination, reigniting a contentious debate that has simmered for years.

This push comes after the failure of the so-called “Law Amendment” in 2024, which sought to amend the SBC Constitution to explicitly prohibit female pastors but fell short of the required two-thirds majority.

The latest effort, detailed in a statement titled “An Open Letter to Our Southern Baptist Family,” urges the denomination to reconsider the measure at the upcoming SBC Annual Meeting in Dallas, Texas.

According to The Christian Post, the open letter reflects the frustration of some SBC clergy who believe the denomination has not gone far enough to enforce its stance against women in pastoral roles.

The article notes that the Law Amendment, named after Pastor Mike Law of Arlington Baptist Church in Virginia, garnered 61% support in June 2024—short of the supermajority needed—but its proponents argue that the issue remains unresolved.

The amendment aimed to clarify that no SBC member church could employ a woman as an elder or pastor, aligning with the Baptist Faith and Message 2000, which states that “the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by Scripture.”

The renewed push follows a series of high-profile decisions by the SBC Credentials Committee, which has inconsistently handled churches with female pastors.

For instance, The Tennessean reported on February 20, 2025, that Rabbit Creek Church in Anchorage, Alaska, was disfellowshipped for its egalitarian views on women in ministry, a move described by its pastor as “a little strange.”

Meanwhile, a South Carolina church was allowed to remain in friendly cooperation despite having a female teaching pastor, a decision alluded to in the pastors’ open letter as evidence of wavering standards.

Critics of the ban, including some within the SBC, argue that such measures undermine the denomination’s long-held principle of local church autonomy.

The Courier-Journal highlighted this tension in a June 13, 2024, opinion piece, noting that the 39% who voted against the Law Amendment last year did so not necessarily to support female pastors, but to preserve individual churches’ rights to call their own leaders.

However, the SBC has already expelled several churches—seven by mid-2024, according to the article—for employing women in pastoral roles, including First Baptist Church of Alexandria, Virginia, which was ousted for affirming women’s ability to serve as ministers.

The debate is not merely procedural but deeply theological.

Protestia reported on March 1, 2025, about an SBC church with eight female pastors on staff, framing it as a challenge to the denomination’s complementarian ethos and a reason the Law Amendment remains necessary.

Named roles like “Communication Pastor” and “Digital Strategist” held by women have fueled accusations of doctrinal drift, especially in churches that also embrace charismatic practices like speaking in tongues.

Supporters of female clergy within and beyond the SBC have cautiously welcomed setbacks to the ban.

KOCO News quoted Sarah Stewart, lead pastor of First Baptist Church of Oklahoma City, who, after cutting ties with the SBC over its stance, called the 2024 vote’s failure “a win for now” on June 13, 2024.

Similarly, Baptist Women in Ministry praised the outcome, though Mike Law vowed to press on, according to The Christian Post on the same date.

Yet, the SBC’s broader context complicates the narrative.

The Tennessean noted on March 5, 2025, that the denomination is grappling with fallout from a Department of Justice investigation into clergy sexual abuse, with former pastor Matt Queen avoiding prison after pleading guilty to lying to investigators.

This scandal has shifted focus for some, with critics like Pastor Dwight McKissic arguing that the fixation on female pastors distracts from more pressing issues, as reported by The Christian Post on June 13, 2024.

As the SBC approaches its Dallas meeting, the renewed push to ban female clergy underscores a denomination at a crossroads.

While The Conversation suggested on June 19, 2024, that the amendment’s failure might hint at shifting views, the persistent efforts of pastors like Mike Law and his allies indicate that the battle over women’s roles in ministry is far from over.

Whether this reflects a commitment to scriptural fidelity or a resistance to cultural change remains a point of fierce contention within America’s largest Protestant denomination.