[ATBW] Episode 2 - The Invisible Woman

The Bible For Normal People

The Bible for Normal People

Religion & Spirituality, Christianity

4.7 • 3.3K Ratings

🗓️ 20 March 2025

⏱️ 63 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In Episode 2 of All the Buried Women, co-hosts Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke uncover the turbulent and hidden history of women in the Southern Baptist Convention. The story begins in the 1970s, an era of progress and pushback, and follows the journey of Kathy Hoppe, an ordained woman whose call to ministry intersected with a calculated takeover of the SBC. What happens when conviction collides with politics, and how do women respond when their calling is questioned? This episode reveals the invisible threads tying women’s resilience to a denomination shaped by control and conflict. We reached out to the SBC, Paige Patterson, Darryl Gilyard, Tommy Gilmore, and the Council for National Policy for comment, and did not hear back. All the Buried Women is brought to you by The Bible for Normal People. Credits: Hosts: Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke Producer: Savannah Locke Writing and Editing: Beth Allison Barr and Savannah Locke Sound Editing and Music: Savannah Locke and Todd Locke Introduction and Closing Song: Jaded by Savannah Locke Special Thanks (in order of appearance): Kathy Hoppe, Barry Hankins, and Robert Downen Partner Organization: The Bible for Normal People Additional Thanks: Andy Clark, Systems Administrator within the University Libraries at Baylor University; Erin Smith, Marketing Manager at Baker Publishing Group; Jordan Corona; Dr. Taffey Hall, Director of the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives; Brittany Prescott, Podcast Producer for The Bible for Normal People; Adam McCullough, Archivist of Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster Divinity College; Gordon Heath, Director of Canadian Baptist Archives at McMaster Divinity College; Rev. Leanne Friesen, Executive Minister of Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec (CBOQ) and CBOQ executive board; and Audrey and Alex from Lawyers for Reporters. Social Media Links: Follow us on Instagram: @alltheburiedwomen @bethallisonbarr @savannah_locke @thebiblefornormalpeople Subscribe to Beth's Substack: https://bethallisonbarr.substack.com Subscribe to Savannah's Substack: https://savannahlocke.substack.com Promo Code: Use code PODCAST40 to get 40% off Becoming the Pastor’s Wife until April 30th through Baker Publishing Group's Website: http://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/becoming-the-pastor-s-wife/414910 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	We want to make sure that you, the listener, have a trigger warning for this episode as it does talk about sex abuse.
0:08.4	Let's set the scene. In the 1970s, as women's rights movements continued to grow, Southern Baptist organized a number of national gatherings focused on the role of women in the church. Some Southern
0:22.9	Baptist welcomed women into ministry with open arms. Others decried their full inclusion
0:29.0	and began organizing against. This push and pull is perhaps most clearly seen in the 1983
0:36.4	and 1984 annual SBC conventions.
0:40.3	In 1983, the SBC passed a resolution on women that encouraged, quote,
0:46.3	all Southern Baptists to continue to explore further opportunities of service for Baptist women,
0:53.3	to ensure maximum utilization of all God-called
0:56.8	servants of our Lord Jesus Christ.
0:59.6	This era progressively shed a light on a difficult reality for the SBC.
1:04.6	It was divided.
1:06.0	One side was gaining momentum towards a full endorsement of women's inclusion, but the other,
1:10.8	a reactionary faction,
1:12.3	was doubling down on excluding women.
1:15.0	It is estimated that in 1984, there were around 250 ordained women in the SBC, a denomination
1:22.0	that had over 14 million members in 30,000 churches.
1:26.5	Despite being small in number, these ordained women were mighty
1:29.9	in disruption, even if they didn't want to be, even if they were simply doing what their
1:35.1	beloved Southern Baptist churches told them to do, follow the call of God on their lives.
1:42.0	I told my pastor, listen, it would be easier to be a prostitute in this church than it is to be
1:48.2	an ordained woman. The spirit of the Lord is upon him. Because God has anointed me to preach
1:56.5	good news to the poor. Women deserve to know that there are places where their gifts and their ministry is valued.
	...

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