Proposed SBC resolutions touch on Christian political engagement, Israel, parental rights
Parental rights
A resolution the SBC messengers will consider during its annual meeting later this month will focus on parents, describing them as "the primary stewards of and decision-makers for their children, rather than teachers, doctors or the state."
Titled "On the God-Given Rights and Responsibilities of Parents," the resolution acknowledges that the concept of parental rights is "not absolute, and the state has a compelling interest to intervene in certain situations where children are being abused, neglected, or endangered."
Nevertheless, the resolution stresses that parents "exercise their rights and responsibilities to make decisions regarding the upbringing of their children, under the authority of God, recognizing that they will be held responsible for their choices."
"That we encourage the state to partner with, rather than act contrary to, the family unit, enacting legislation that protects and upholds parental rights, ensuring that parents have the freedom to make decisions regarding the upbringing, education, and healthcare of their children without undue interference, recognizing that parents are the primary arbiters of a child's moral and spiritual formation," continues the resolution.
