IN a landmark vote that signals a major shift for America’s largest Protestant denomination, Southern Baptist Convention messengers approved a constitutional amendment Wednesday that would prohibit churches with women pastors — or churches that allow women to preach on Sunday mornings — from remaining in fellowship with the SBC.

According to Christianity Today, 74.6% of local church delegates voted in favor of the so-called Truth and Unity Amendment during the SBC’s annual meeting, with only a quarter of messengers opposing the measure.

The vote marks the first successful step toward writing the ban into the SBC’s governing constitution. Denominational rules require any constitutional change to receive a two-thirds majority in two consecutive annual meetings before taking effect — meaning a second affirmative vote will be needed to finalize the amendment. Two earlier attempts to pass similar measures had fallen short.

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