Al Mohler has been the most influential Southern Baptist for the last 30 years. And in an effort to cement his legacy as the hero of the story, he introduced the Mohler Amendment to ban female pastors. But after hearing a tidal wave of feedback, Al Mohler has decided to neuter his own amendment to ban female pastors, instead codifying a glaring loophole.
The new version allows female pastors as long as the job title isn’t too obvious and they preach not to the regular Sunday congregation. All other preaching is within bounds, and all other functions, exercising authority, are in play because of Mohler’s reductionist view of what a pastor is.
Mohler pitches this as a truly unifying addition. But many backers of the original will back out at the updated version because if it passes, female pastors would be here to stay in the Southern Baptist Convention, just under a different name, and the messengers will not allow further reform, thinking that the battle has been won.
Al Mohler sees himself as the hero in the Southern Baptist Convention, but his toothless amendment is an ego-driven subversion of a Southern Baptist distinctive.