By Diana Chandler
Baptist Press
NASHVILLE — A day after overruling the Resolutions Committee, messengers to the 2021 SBC Annual Meeting adopted a resolution June 16 calling for “abolishing abortion immediately, without exception or compromise.”
The Resolutions Committee had declined the resolution, reasoning that while “messengers would agree with some aspects of this resolution,” the issue of abortion was addressed in another resolution condemning the repeal of the Hyde Amendment, which prevents federal funding of abortion.
But after one of the resolution’s nine co-authors spoke to the motion on June 15, messengers brought it to the floor with a two-thirds vote. It was adopted after an amendment softening its language.
The resolution was among 10 resolutions messengers approved this year. Among other resolutions adopted, all receiving strong support from messengers, were measures recommending that churches permanently bar sex abusers from the pastorate; a resolution rejecting any theory that credits racism to anything other than sin; and a resolution denouncing the Equality Act, a far-reaching gay and transgender rights bill that critics warn would devastate freedom of religion and conscience, as well as protections for women, girls and unborn children. [Read more…]