Officials with the Southern Baptist Convention today issued a statement saying they will reject any ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that affirms same-sex marriage.
“We will not accept, nor adhere to, any legal redefinition of marriage issued by any political or judicial body including the United States Supreme Court,” said the joint statement by SBC President Rev. Ronnie Floyd as well as past presidents.
It added, “We will not recognize same-sex ‘marriages,’ our churches will not host same-sex ceremonies, and we will not perform such ceremonies.”
The statement was issued during the SBC’s national conference in Columbus, Ohio, at a time when the Supreme Court is expected to rule on the constitutionality of gay marriage by the month’s end. Court watchers expect the court may rule in favor of legalizing same-sex unions across the nation.
The nine SBC pastors at the morning press conference made clear that the scripture’s teaching on marriage is not negotiable, and that, if necessary, they will be willing to break the law in order to follow their beliefs.
“It could come to that,” said Rev. Bryant Wright, a past SBC president and pastor at Johnson Ferry Baptist Church in East Cobb. “In that case, we would have to obey God’s law versus man’s law.”
About the Author
