The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC),
the world's largest Baptist denomination, has approved a resolution
condemning the Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) recent decision to allow
openly gay scouts.
Last month, the BSA voted to end its
ban on openly gay members under the age of 18. The organization,
however, will continue to prohibit openly gay adults from
participating in the Scouts. The new policy takes effect on January
1.
The resolution was approved on
Wednesday at the SBC's annual meeting in Houston.
According
to the AP, the resolution expresses the denomination's opposition
to and disappointment in the BSA's new policy and calls on the
organization to punish executive and board leaders who supported a
broader change which also would have allowed participation by openly
gay adults. The SBC wants those leaders removed.
The resolution also expresses support
for churches and families that decide to drop ties with the Scouts.
Frank Page, the denomination's
president and chief executive officer, told the Christian
Broadcasting Network (CBN) last week that he expected “a resolution
encouraging an exodus from the Boy Scouts” to be debated at the
meeting.
Whether Page was discussing a different
resolution was not clear.
Page told the outlet that he sees the
BSA's move as an assault on Christians and insisted that “active
persecution” of Christians will happen in the United States in his
lifetime.
“We're seeing it around the world. I
believe we will see it here in my lifetime,” he said.