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Nation & World Texas Baptists vote to reject wifely submission by Michelle Koidin Associated Press El Paso, Texas —Texas’ Southern Baptists on Tuesday repudiated the denomination’s call for women to “siiimit graciously” to their husbands. The Baptist General Convention of Texas is the largest state organization (2.7 million members) within the nation’s 15.7 million-mem ber Southern Baptist Convention and sends it millions of dollars each year. But the state or ganization is more moderate than the national one. It is the first state affiliate of the Southern Baptist Convention to reject the “submit gra ciously” stance. “The Bible doesn’t teach that the husband is the general and the wife is a private, but yet that’s how it gets interpreted,” said the Rev. Charles Wade, the executive director of the Texas group. • All but a couple dozen among about 2,200 delegates to the Texas group’s annual meeting voted in favor of affirming the Baptist Faith and Message Statement of 1963 — without an amendment added in 1998. The amendment marked the first change in the statement of beliefs by the Southern Bap tists in 35 years. It defines marriage exclusive ly in heterosexual terms and says that husbands and wives, while equal before God, have dif ferent roles. “A wife is to submit graciously to the ser vant leadership of her husband, even as the church willingly submits to the headship of Christ,” it says. During a brief debate on the proposal, on ly two representatives spoke in favor of fol lowing the national group’s lead. Paul Taylor, representing a church in Mauriceville, 20 miles northeast of Beaumont, said he believed the amendment “speaks to the family.” The Rev. Clyde Glazener, the newly elected president of the 2.7 million-member Texas organization, and Wade urged Texans to ignore the amendment. “There’s a partnership in Christian mar riage,” Wade said. “We’re trying to say in our day any attempt to put women ‘in their place’ or somehow limit the contribution that women might have in church goes against the whole spirit of Christ.” Leaders of the Southern Baptist Conven tion denounced the decision and noted that the “submit graciously” amendment had passed with overwhelming support. They said it is lit tle more than a paraphrase of the apostle Paul’s teachings. R Albert Mohler Jr., president of the South ern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky„ called the vote “an intentional rejection of a clear teaching of the Bible.” “This is another lamentable sign of the de termination of some Texas Baptist leaders to alienate Texas Baptists from the Southern Bap tist Convention,” he said. | Ten years later... Special to The Gamecock Fireworks explode Tuesday over the Brandenburg Gate In Berlin during a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the fall of Communism In East Germany. The celebration meant to bring easterners and westerners together In a show of unity not seen * since the night : Berliners chipped away at the reviled Berlin Wall. Need Some Cash? Help Sera Tec Help Others by Donating Life Saving Plasma . New donors or anyone who has not donated in 6 months can earn. $25 - First Donation $40 - Second Donation I_I Regular donors can earn $40 per calendar week. No appointment necessary Bring I.D. with Date of Birth and Student I.D. SERA TEC BIOLOGICALS (formerly Bayer Plasma Center) 254-6684 1916 Taylor St. M, W, F 7:30AM - 4:00PM • T, TH 7:30AM - 5:00PM 7 MY 6/VUP, EMOTIONLESS FAE\ /S WETS WILE 6E FICACIN6* UF |( / T7t£ TA5 EOF US TONI&WT J K 2 T!M£-S $2 &PUAL-S $24. (T^) 90KS UK£ ANOTH&K TKir TO NAM/ Gfteffl? (il®[D®i3§ ©§m ©giQiB oog] G® §1 bbosCsB Help children, hemophiliacs, and heart patients who receive products made from the plasma of our donors. NABI BioMedical Center i Assembly St., Columbia SC 29201 254-2280 Visit www.focusonford.com and register to win a Ford Focus