When fundamentalists took over the reigns of the Southern Baptist denominational structure, the role of women took a drastic policy shift.  The national organization that was headed by Southern Baptist women is now under the thumb of the convention.  It was reeled in and placed under the control of the offices of the male dominated SBC.  There was even a resolution passed at a national meeting suggesting women were the reason for original sin.  Women were now to remain silent and obedient to their husband's leadership. There had been women deacons in Baptist churches as long as we have records of Baptist life.  Now this policy is dismissed as heresy.  Women could not now serve as preachers or pastors even though this practice of women as preachers had existed on the mission fields for decades.  The SBC ethics head had to do some tap dancing around his endorsement of Sarah Palin for potentially the highest office in the land while he held that women could not even lead a local church.

If barefoot and pregnant seems to be stretching it, one might listen to what has been cast about in chapels as Biblical mandates.  Professor Thomas White of Southwestern Baptist Seminary stated recently in chapel that the use of birth-control pills is "wrong".1  The popular fundamentalist vision of a "full quiver" is being promoted in some circles as the Christian model.  That is having as many children as possible.  

Bruce Ware, a professor at Southern Seminary, suggested that women would not have to worry as much about spousal abuse if they were more obedient to their husbands.2  This is the same school whose president suggested that white women need to be more fertile to aid the nation.  Ware was professor at Criswel College, a school whose founder once adhered to the curse of ham theory.  (Theory that blacks were cursed by God to serve whites.)

Matt Chancey is a Baptist who ran for state office in Alabama with the endorsement of Judge Roy Moore of Ten Commandment fame.  His wife, Jennie, has written a book called PASSIONATE HOUSEWIVES DESPERATE FOR GOD.  In her book she stated that men should vote for the entire household. That is one vote per family, and the women did not get the honor.  Her document did not aid her husband's quest for office it appears. Chancey's pastor is a prime mover in the power structure of the Southern Baptist Convention. Chancey is also linked to Doug Phillips a homeschool curriculum dealer who sells books encouraging Christian women to be more submissive and fertile.3

Recent SBC officer Wiley Drake is connected to these circles and has been linked to The Constitutional Party headquarters. Drake opposes government schooling at any level and believes the home is where education should take place.4  Thus having a submissive wife around to teach the children fits the model Drake and company promote for the denomination.

Women's organizations in the denomination have diminished.  I know personally of two women who were active in the mission structure who have abandoned the convention all together and have taken their talents to national political organizations. Southwestern Seminary has kicked out at least two women professors for the sin of teaching male students. Now the seminary offers courses to women on how to be a good housewife.  Being a Southern Baptist gal certainly isn't what it used to be.

endnotes

1.  Bob Allen, "Birth Control Sinful.."  BAPTIST STANDARD, Nov. 3, 2008, pg. 17.
   
2.  www.ethicsdaily.com 7/9/2008
   
3.  www.ethicsdaily.com 7/17/2008
   
4.  www.ethicsdaily.com 7/23/2008