White Patriarchy Continues to Thrive Among Southern Baptists

In 1961 and ’62 I took Bible classes from Dr. Rowena Strickland at Oklahoma Baptist University. “Yes,” she taught the “preacher boys” as we were called at that time. Since then, the times have been changing. Some white men of the Southern Baptist Convention gained power and influence and decided they did not want women in positions of teaching men or preaching. The Bible has not changed but the Southern Baptist Convention culture has changed. Phoebe is still a deacon (Romans 6:1-2). The first evangelists are still those women at the tomb who told the men who had run off in fear (Mark 16:19). Pricilla and Aquilla are still Paul’s teachers and Pricilla’s name is listed first (Romans 16:3). White patriarchy put women in their place among Southern Baptists, falsely teaching that women are not meant to teach men, preach or be Church leaders. Thank God, other denominations saw better and did not give in to white male patriarchy. As a recovering Southern Baptist, I grieve (“Yes” anger is a part of grief) that so many Baptists have “gone along in order to get along” and white patriarchy continues to thrive among Southern Baptists.