Each year at the Southern Baptist annual meeting, a segment of the business sessions is dedicated to the various resolutions messengers are called to vote on. Resolutions are formal statements that are “an expression of opinion or concern.” Forty-two resolutions were presented to the Committee on Resolutions this year. Eleven were adopted and revised by the committee and were sent to the messengers for a vote at the 2026 Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida. Some were simple, such as expressing thanks to the city of Orlando for hosting the annual meeting or commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States. Others were more complex and, in some cases, addressed controversial issues that are impacting the culture. Regardless of the topic, resolutions are an important aspect of Southern Baptist life and inform the work of the ERLC.
Resolutions as historical record
Resolutions first serve as a historical statement of Southern Baptists’ position on a topic. Although resolutions are non-binding and lack legal authority over the churches, they are formal statements that reflect the consensus of Southern Baptist messengers on issues of faith, ethics, culture, and public life. Most importantly, resolutions are first grounded in Scripture and then the Baptist Faith & Message 2000. Sometimes resolutions are event specific, while others aim for timelessness that can speak directly to Southern Baptists’ positions whenever certain circumstances of public importance arise.
For example, the 2026 resolution “On Political Violence and Speech” addresses ungodly, reckless rhetoric and acts of political violence, harassment, and intimidation. At the heart of the resolution is that Christians are called to love one’s neighbor, including one’s enemies, affirm human dignity, and be a people who demonstrate Christlike virtue that speaks to the power of the gospel in a time of societal division. This particular resolution, like so many others over the years, serves as a timeless reminder of how Southern Baptists view one of our responsibilities in promoting a gospel-centered public good.
Resolutions also serve as a reminder of positional consistency. One example of this is reflected in the 2026 resolution “On Assisted Suicide and the Sanctity of Life.” This resolution operates within the larger perspective of how Southern Baptists view the sanctity of life. Over several years and resolutions, Southern Baptists have repeatedly rejected the culture of death that pervades our society. While this resolution was written in light of several states passing “death with dignity” and medical assistance in dying laws (MAiD), allowing for the practice of assisted suicide, this resolution speaks to the current situation and builds off past resolutions that condemned euthanasia. It, like so many other resolutions, will serve to remind Southern Baptists where we stand when the winds of culture are blowing in a direction that opposes God’s Word.
Resolutions as guiding principles
Resolutions also serve as guiding principles for the ERLC’s work. Along with Scripture and the BF&M 2000, they provide guidelines for resources we provide SBC churches, such as our white papers and church guides, and inform which policy issues the ERLC addresses and the positions it takes on those issues. These resolutions are especially helpful when navigating controversial topics for our resourcing projects and advocacy efforts. Many of these topics encompass a range of views and perspectives, but the resolutions indicate what the Convention has agreed upon, whether affirming or rejecting a concept or practice.
One example of this is the 2025 resolution “On Restoring Moral Clarity through God’s Design for Gender, Marriage and the Family.” This resolution enables the ERLC to create church resources consistent with the Convention’s position on these issues within its lane of marriage and family. At the same time, the structure of the resolution allows the ERLC to advocate for policies that affirm the sanctity of the marital and familial bond while establishing clear guidelines for pursuing that advocacy. For instance, the resolution calls for “the overturning of laws and court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges, that defy God’s design for marriage and family,” and for “a complete and permanent defunding of Planned Parenthood and for public funds to be directed to life-affirming healthcare providers.” Resolutions are an invaluable resource for our Southern Baptists, providing flexibility that allows the ERLC to carry out its work while upholding the larger wishes of the Convention.
Resolutions are an important asset for communicating complex and important issues to SBC churches, coalition partners, and the government. What makes them so valuable is that they give voice to the will of Southern Baptists. Thus, the ERLC understands that if we want to serve our churches well and speak into the public square alongside Southern Baptists, then resolutions must be a part of that effort. Resolutions are a resource in Southern Baptist public theology and social ethics—for the past, the present, and future generations of Southern Baptists as they navigate the complex issues of their day.
Photo credit: Van Payne/The Baptist Paper
