Photo: Allison Dinner/AP
The Southern Baptist Convention has expelled one of its largest churches for allowing a woman to serve as pastor.
The committee cited Saddleback’s decision to have “a female teaching pastor functioning in the office of pastor” as the reason behind the ejection, per the AP’s report.
In response, Saddleback founder Rick Warrenannounced on Twitterthat the church will respond to the expulsion “in OUR time & way.”
Jae C. Hong/AP
Warren announced his retirement in 2022, naming Andy and Stacie Wood as Saddleback’s new leaders. Andy serves as head of the California-based church, while his wife Stacie is a “teaching pastor,” according to theTimes.
Stacie preaches as part of her role, which some say goes against the Southern Baptist Convention’s statement of beliefs.
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Also in 2022, Andy told the AP that he believes the church “should be a place where both men and women can exercise those spiritual gifts.”
“My wife has the spiritual gift of teaching and she is really good,” he said at the time. “People often tell me she’s better than me when it comes to preaching, and I’m really glad to hear that.”
Saddleback also found itself in a controversy in 2021, when itordained three womenas pastors, according toThe Guardian.
Five other congregations were also ousted from the SBC — four of which were expelled over the issue of women as pastors, theTimesreports.
In a statement, Committee Chairman Jared Wellman said the decision to oust the churches “was not made lightly.”
“We remain committed to upholding the theological convictions of the SBC and maintaining unity among its cooperating churches,” he added.
Saddleback can appeal the SBC’s decision at the convention’s next annual meeting in June, according to the AP andBaptist Press.
source: people.com
