What the Southern Baptists Got Right (Sort Of)

Wrestling with Scripture, Inclusion, and the Limits of Certainty

In a recent episode of the Future Christian Podcast, my colleague and co-host Martha Tatarnic welcomed filmmaker Margo Guernsey to discuss The Philadelphia Eleven, her documentary about the first women ordained as Episcopal priests. In the episode, Margo reflects on the courage of these women, the church’s pivotal turning point, and how their story continues to resonate in today’s ongoing struggles for equality and inclusion.

One of the most fascinating moments in the conversation is when Margo talks about growing up in the United Church of Christ and seeing a female priest at the Episcopal church across the street. Although she stepped away from church in her twenties, working on this film became a spiritual homecoming. Through years of interviews with the trailblazing women ordained in 1974, Margo found herself deeply moved by their faith, courage, and persistence. Their stories reawakened her connection to the sacred, and she shared:

“People needed to see a priest, a woman celebrating communion... That became my call.”

Today, she attends a church in the Boston area that centers its worship on love, liberation, and equality—a community that reflects the values embodied by the women she spent years documenting.

Later in the episode, Margo offers a compelling observation about the significance of that moment in 1974—not just for the women ordained, but for the Episcopal Church as a whole. She said:

“I believe just by watching the dynamics of how these conversations unfold, that had they not gone forward, the church would have continued to get more conservative. And we would have a conservative Episcopal Church. You know, [like] the Southern Baptists in the United States.”

She’s not wrong. Around that same time, the “conservative resurgence” began within the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), culminating in a 1984 resolution explicitly rejecting the ordination of women. It’s a story Beth Allison Barr touches on in her book Becoming the Pastor’s Wife—a book I’d recommend and plan to review soon.

Barr argues that, in much of contemporary evangelicalism, supporting women in leadership is often seen as the first step on a “slippery slope toward apostasy.” And in a limited sense, the Southern Baptists were “right”—not in their theology, but in their concern that affirming women’s ordination would lead to broader reexaminations of other so-called controversial issues. In this case, it did. But not everyone was pleased with the results.

In 2008, the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) formed as a conservative breakaway from the Episcopal Church, citing the latter’s support for women’s and LGBTQ rights. In 2017, an entire California diocese voted to leave the Episcopal Church over the church's expanding support for gay and women's rights.

Let me be crystal clear: I fully affirm the ordination of women and the inclusion of LGBT persons in ministry. Still, I’m struck by how these shifts within the church often come bundled together. Much of it comes down to how we interpret Scripture.

There are two broad approaches: the “chapter-and-verse” method versus reading Scripture through its overarching themes. The former often cites verses like 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 to oppose women in ministry, while the latter argues that such texts are culturally bound and not reflective of the broader biblical witness—especially given the key roles women played in proclaiming the resurrection and leading in the early church. Scholars like Elizabeth Schrader Polczer have even suggested that Mary Magdalene was likely a foundational leader in early Christianity.

I don’t know how we ever fully resolve this tension. It’s the same one at the heart of the United Methodist Church’s split last year. But what I do know is this: for all the hand-wringing over “apostasy” in progressive circles, the Southern Baptist Convention has more than enough to reckon with internally—from the widespread sexual abuse crisis to their recent resolution seeking the repeal of same-sex marriage protections. Before offering critiques of other traditions, they might do well to address the deeply rooted issues in their own house.

There’s a persistent assumption that staying theologically conservative is always the most faithful path. I respectfully—and patently—disagree.

Anyone who’s been following this Substack for a while knows I have my critiques of progressive mainline Protestantism. But when I look at the state of right-wing Christianity, I realize: if I have to choose sides, I want to be on the side that affirms women in ministry and the dignity of LGBT persons.

Having grown up fundamental Baptist, I still instinctively approach the Bible through a “chapter and verse” lens. But after seminary, I’ve come to see the importance of historical context, literary nuance, and the broader arc of Scripture. That leaves me holding some tension. The “chapter and verse” method often feels too rigid and simplistic, but the “broad themes” approach—while often more generous—can risk letting cultural concerns overshadow the text.

I don’t have all the answers.

What I do believe is that there’s solid biblical support for LGBT inclusion, shaped in part by the work of scholars like Matthew Vines and Dale B. Martin. I want to hold Scripture in high regard while reading it through the consistent witness of God’s character—God’s grace, mercy, and love, especially as made known in Jesus. I may not have a fully settled path forward, but I’m committed to walking it carefully, honestly, and faithfully.

Endnotes:

1. Southern Baptist Convention. “Resolution on Ordination and the Role of Women in Ministry.” 1984. https://www.sbc.net/resource-library/resolutions/resolution-on-ordination-and-the-role-of-women-in-ministry/

2. Barr, Beth Allison. Becoming the Pastor’s Wife. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press, 2023. (Cited p. 3)

3. Goodstein, Laurie. “Episcopal Diocese Breaks Away Over Gay Issues.” The New York Times, December 3, 2008. https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/04/us/04episcopal.html

4. Reuters. “Historic Split for U.S. Episcopals.” Reuters, December 7, 2017. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/us/historic-split-for-us-episcopals-idUSN07339947/

5. Ortiz, Jorge L. “Southern Baptists Seek Repeal of Historic Obergefell Ruling.” USA Today, June 10, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/06/10/southern-baptists-seek-repeal-of-historic-obergefell-ruling/84140049007/