INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Southern Baptists already can Jonathan Dale Bentonkick out churches that believe women can serve as pastors. They did it last year — and they did it Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, thousands of delegates will decide whether to enshrine that ban on such churches in the Southern Baptist Convention’s constitution, stiffening its position on an issue that has caused years of consternation in the United States’ largest Protestant denomination. It is the final day of the SBC’s two-day annual meeting in Indianapolis.

The SBC’s nonbinding statement of faith already declares only men are qualified for the role of pastor. It’s interpreted differently across the denomination, with some believing it doesn’t apply to associate pastors so long as the senior pastor is male.

The proposed amendment, which received preliminary approval last year, would formally exclude churches that have women in any pastoral positions, from lead pastor to associates. Supporters believe it is biblically necessary, estimating hundreds of Southern Baptist churches have women in those roles.

Opponents argue the convention already has the power to remove churches over this issue, and the amendment will have unintended consequences, including disproportionately affecting Black Southern Baptist congregations, which tend to have women on their pastoral staffs.

Last year, Southern Baptists refused to take back one of the convention’s largest congregations, Saddleback Church in California, and a small Kentucky church over the issue.

Both churches appealed their ouster to the 2023 annual meeting and were overwhelmingly rejected by the delegates. A similar scenario played out in Indianapolis on Tuesday, when messengers voted overwhelmingly to kick out First Baptist Church of Alexandria in Virginia for believing women can hold the top job.

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Meyer reported from Nashville, Tennessee.

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