Baptists Get With it, Consider Electing Woman

The Dallas-based Baptist General Convention is thisclose to electing a woman, Joy Fenner of Garland, as president. Her opponent is a man from West Texas. The DMN says:

Dr. Lowrie, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Canyon, Texas, praises Ms. Fenner and insists he’s not running against her because she’s a woman.

Progressive. It goes on to say that

the BGCT would make another positive statement for diversity by giving such a qualified woman the presidency.

That’s the thing: She is qualified. She has a long history with the church, and, at 72, seems to have a lot to offer. It’s unfortunate that, to many people,  her gender is the most important part of the story. Some say that electing a woman to the position will cause an even greater rift between Baptists with fundamentalist leanings and the more progressive branch who support women in roles of leadership. I think it’s an interesting issue, and in many ways it is a huge coup that the Southern Baptists even have her as first vice president, but it makes me think about the current state of churches in Texas. Are there any women in high leadership positions at Baptist churches in the Park Cities (or any other denomination, for that matter)?