Southern Baptists Call for Overturning Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

At their 2025 annual convention in Dallas, the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S., passed a resolution calling for the overturning of the Supreme Court's 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The resolution, which did not explicitly use the word "ban," demands laws affirming marriage strictly between one man and one woman, reflecting the denomination's view of marriage as divinely ordained. Southern Baptists see the recent Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade as a legal strategy blueprint for challenging Obergefell in the future, with some justices like Clarence Thomas signaling openness to reconsidering past rulings on gay marriage and contraception. Alongside the marriage resolution, the convention also emphasized policies promoting childbearing within intact married families and criticized transgender ideology and gender-affirming care for minors as unbiblical. The move demonstrates the denomination's intent to influence U.S. public policy according to Christian conservative values, with leaders like SBC President Clint Pressley reaffirming traditional views on gender and marriage. The convention took place amid ongoing discussions about sexual abuse reforms within the church, with some advocates protesting outside the event.