Changes

Starting in 1979 they mobilized delegates to attend the annual convention and to elect strong conservative candidates. Usually winning by ratios of about 55%-45% they elected a series of strong conservative presidents. In turn the presidents appointed strong conservative committees and trustees, and systematically transformed the mindset of the SBC's six seminaries, its publishing house, its mission boards, and its numerous agencies to a conservative view. Theologically the issue has focused on the inerrancy of Scripture.  In 1980 the SBC had completely reversed itself on abortion, passing a much stronger resolution condemning the practice (ironically, meeting again in St. Louis, the site of the 1971 convention where they initially supported the practice).<ref>See [http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/19/resolution-on-abortion SBC Resolution on Abortion, 1980 Annual Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri.]</ref>

Starting in 1979 they mobilized delegates to attend the annual convention and to elect strong conservative candidates. Usually winning by ratios of about 55%-45% they elected a series of strong conservative presidents. In turn the presidents appointed strong conservative committees and trustees, and systematically transformed the mindset of the SBC's six seminaries, its publishing house, its mission boards, and its numerous agencies to a conservative view. Theologically the issue has focused on the inerrancy of Scripture.  In 1980 the SBC had completely reversed itself on abortion, passing a much stronger resolution condemning the practice (ironically, meeting again in St. Louis, the site of the 1971 convention where they initially supported the practice).<ref>See [http://www.sbc.net/resolutions/19/resolution-on-abortion SBC Resolution on Abortion, 1980 Annual Meeting, St. Louis, Missouri.]</ref>

Some Baptist colleges and universities not officially owned by the SBC but historically tied to it resisted the trend and broke their ties with the SBC ([[Baylor University]] being one example). The moderates protested that the fundamentalists had downplayed the historic emphasis on evangelism to impose a particular reading of Scripture, thereby breaking with the denomination's historic unwillingness to impose creeds.  Ultimately, in 1991 the moderates formed a splinter group (the [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]], or CBF), convincing two state associations (the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist General Association of Virginia) to dually align with it and the SBC (this, in turn, resulted in two new conservative-minded state associations, solely aligned with the SBC, to form: the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia).

Some Baptist colleges and universities not officially owned by the SBC but historically tied to it resisted the trend and broke their ties with the SBC ([[Baylor University]] being one example). The moderates protested that the fundamentalists had downplayed the historic emphasis on evangelism to impose a particular reading of Scripture, thereby breaking with the denomination's historic unwillingness to impose creeds.  The more openly-liberal churches broke away in 1987 to form the [[Alliance of Baptists]], while the moderates in 1991 the moderates formed a splinter group (the [[Cooperative Baptist Fellowship]], or CBF), convincing two state associations (the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Baptist General Association of Virginia) to dually align with it and the SBC (this, in turn, resulted in two new conservative-minded state associations, solely aligned with the SBC, to form: the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention and Southern Baptist Conservatives of Virginia).

The success of the conservatives led to two major changes to the [[Baptist Faith and Message]] (the SBC's official "statement of faith"): a 1998 amendment adding a section on The Family and a 2000 revision which repudiated homosexuality and stood for the sanctity of life.

The success of the conservatives led to two major changes to the [[Baptist Faith and Message]] (the SBC's official "statement of faith"): a 1998 amendment adding a section on The Family and a 2000 revision which repudiated homosexuality and stood for the sanctity of life.