America’s largest Protestant denomination is gearing up for a legal showdown over same-sex marriage.
The Washington Examiner reported that the Southern Baptist Convention, a powerhouse in the Christian conservative world, has passed a resolution urging the Supreme Court to reverse its landmark ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage across the nation.
For years, Southern Baptists have stood firm against same-sex unions, viewing them as contrary to their deeply held beliefs.
Their opposition isn’t new, but this latest move signals a renewed vigor to reshape society according to their values. It’s a bold play, and they’re not shy about it.
The Southern Baptists see a roadmap in the Supreme Court’s recent overturning of Roe v. Wade, a decision that dismantled decades of precedent on abortion rights. They’re banking on a similar strategy to challenge Obergefell, hoping to chip away at what they view as a misguided ruling.
“What we’re trying to do is keep the conversation alive,” said Andrew Walker, an ethicist at a Southern Baptist seminary in Kentucky.
Well, Mr. Walker, conversation is one thing, but overturning a Supreme Court decision is quite another—it’s a cultural earthquake waiting to happen.
“Christians are called to play the long game,” Walker added. Long game, indeed—turns out patience might just be their sharpest weapon in this fight. But will the broader public have the stomach for another divisive legal battle?
Walker also hinted at early-stage legal strategies being discussed to challenge Obergefell down the road. “There are burgeoning embryonic efforts being discussed at the legal-strategy level on how to begin to challenge Obergefell,” he said. Sounds like they’re taking meticulous notes from the 50-year campaign against Roe.
“How do we take the lessons from Roe that took 50 years?” Walker mused. Here’s the kicker: if persistence paid off once, they’re betting it can pay off again, though the cultural landscape has shifted dramatically since the 1970s.
“What is the legal strategy to overturn Obergefell at some point in the future?” Walker asked. That’s the million-dollar question, and while the answer isn’t clear, their determination sure is. They’re not just whistling in the wind here.
Adding fuel to their fire, Republican-appointed Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has previously indicated openness to revisiting Obergefell.
In his concurring opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization—the case that toppled Roe—Thomas suggested the court should reconsider past rulings on gay marriage and even contraception. That’s a green light for conservatives, or at least a flashing yellow.
Justice Thomas’s words aren’t binding, of course, but they’re a beacon for groups like the Southern Baptists. If a sitting justice is willing to question settled law, it’s no surprise they’re feeling emboldened. Still, turning a concurring opinion into a majority ruling is a steep climb.
Meanwhile, the Southern Baptists aren’t limiting their focus to marriage alone. Last year, during their annual convention, they passed a resolution opposing in vitro fertilization, further cementing their stance on a range of social issues. They’re not picking just one hill to die on.
This push to overturn Obergefell isn’t just about marriage for the Southern Baptists—it’s part of a larger mission to steer American society toward Christian conservative principles. They see the law as a tool to reflect their values, and they’re not apologetic about using it. Turns out, actions have consequences, and they’re aiming for lasting ones.
Critics might argue this approach risks alienating a nation that’s grown more accepting of diverse family structures. But the Southern Baptists seem undeterred, believing their cause is rooted in timeless truth rather than fleeting cultural trends. It’s a gamble, no doubt, but they’re all in.