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Top Policies that Matter to Southern Baptists in 2023

The 2023 ERLC Public Policy Agenda

What matters to Southern Baptists:

The first session of the 118th Congress is now underway, and it begins as the nation is grappling with war around the world, inflation at home, and deep division across our nation. This also begins a new era of divided government with a Democratic president, a narrow Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate, and a slim Republican majority in the House. This dynamic ensures legislating and governing will be a difficult task.

Just as our government is entering a new season, so too is the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC). Though we have been through a season of transition, we continue to carry out our ministry assignment to serve the public policy interests of Southern Baptists. Whether that is in our nation’s capital, before the courts, or in our larger culture, we consider it a privilege to continue on this mission this year under a new administration and with an expanded team. The following agenda is not an exhaustive blueprint but an outline of the core public policy priorities for the next year for this Commission.

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Our Baptist ancestors in the United States were instrumental in the crafting and adoption of the First Amendment to our Constitution, which guarantees free exercise of religion, for all, and forbids the establishment of a state-driven religion. The ERLC will continue this legacy in our moral education but also in our advocacy: a legacy of religious freedom for all people, not just for those who share our beliefs. Recent years have seen simultaneous gains for religious freedom in the courts and threats from administrative and legislative action. We expect some of the following to be issues of particular concern in 2023.

The ERLC’s Work on the Sanctity of Human Life

  • Protect Pro-life Riders in the Congressional Appropriations Process
  • Prevent Proliferation of Chemical Abortions
  • Oppose the Women’s Health Protection Act
  • Support the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
  • Support the Born Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act
  • Support Federal Abortion Restrictions
  • Oppose “Abortion Tourism”
  • Support the work of Pregnancy Resource Centers
  • Oppose the Expansion of Abortion in the Military and at VA Facilities
  • Oppose Legalization of Surrogacy
  • Oppose Physician-Assisted Suicide and all Euthanasia Efforts
  • Engage in International Pro-Life Work

Read more about our work on these issues below or view our Sanctity of Human Life Resource Library.

Explainer: The FDA expands abortion pill access in local pharmacies

The Twin Frontiers of Abortion in a Post-Dobbs World

Explainer: Pro-life riders included in 2023 government funding bill

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The ERLC’s Work on Marriage and Family

The Baptist Faith and Message affirms the biblical teaching of marriage and family as creation ordinances and blessings from God, foundational to human flourishing. We will continue to advocate for policies that maintain and protect these essential aspects of life together. Some aspects of this advocacy of particular interest in 2023 include the following:

  • Support Adoption and Foster Care Policies
  • Support the Adoptee Citizenship Act
  • Ensure Intercountry Adoption Remains a Viable Option
  • Support Pro-Family Policy in a Post-Roe World
  • Oppose the SAFE Banking Act
  • Respond to the Opioid Crisis
  • Revive Obscenity Prosecution

Read more about our work on these issues below or view our Marriage and Family Resource Library.

A Vision for a Pro-Family World

The Foundational Institutions

5 small pro-life steps churches can take

Download the 2023 ERLC Public Policy Agenda

The ERLC’s Work on Religious Liberty

  • Oppose The Equality Act
  • Oppose the Do No Harm Act
  • Support the Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act
  • Support Conscience Protections for Healthcare Workers
  • Respond to the Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act
  • Respond to the Decision in 303 Creative v. Elenis
  • Oppose the Transgender Mandate
  • Support a Two-year Universal Charitable Deduction to Encourage Giving to Charities
  • Continue the China International Religious Freedom Initiative
  • Advocate for the Elimination of Blasphemy and Apostasy Laws
  • Combat Global Anti-Semitism
  • Advocate for a Strong Office of International Religious Freedom

Read more about our work on these issues below or view our Religious Liberty Resource Library.

Why should Christians oppose the Equality Act?

The ERLC upholds God’s design for sexuality in the public square

Explainer: Supreme Court hears oral arguments in 303 Creative case

Download the 2023 ERLC Public Policy Agenda

2022 proved to be a history-making year for the cause of life with the overturning of the disastrous precedents set in Roe v. Wade in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision. This decision was the culmination of 50 years of dedicated work by Southern Baptists and other pro-life advocates. For the first time in generations, abortion policy can be determined by states, ushering in new opportunities for the pro-life movement. This moment was not the end of our advocacy for life, but in many ways, the beginning of a new chapter. In an ever-changing landscape, we must continue to advocate for life both at the federal and state level while also taking on new frontiers such as “abortion tourism,” the increasing accessibility of the abortion pill, and supporting abortion-vulnerable women. We will continue to work towards a day where abortion is, as stated by multiple resolutions from the Southern Baptist, not only illegal but also unthinkable.

The ERLC’s Work on Human Dignity

Every person bears the image of God, and thus, is worthy of protection and dignity, regardless of age, level of ability, or stage of development and echoes the biblical mandate to seek justice and righteousness, especially for those who are vulnerable. God revealed in the words of the prophet Micah: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (6:8) In our advocacy for fair and impartial judgment, and equitable treatment of the unjustly oppressed and marginalized, we bear witness to a God who is ultimately the just Judge, and a gospel that saves all who believe without partiality. This reality that all bear the image of God and hold immeasurable dignity and value spurs on our commitment to the following priorities for this year:

  • Support a Permanent Solution for Dreamers
  • Support Further Criminal Justice Reform
  • Support Payday Lending Regulations
  • Oppose Efforts to Expand Gambling
  • Rebuild the Refugee Resettlement Program
  • Support the Afghan Adjustment Act
  • Advocate for Anti-Human Trafficking Laws
  • Support the Central American Women and Children Protection Act

Read more about our work on these issues below or view our Human Dignity Resource Library.

Why Christians should oppose gambling

Why we need to rebuild the Refugee Resettlement Program

How the ERLC has been advocating for marginalized communities

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In addition to our work with the executive and legislative branches of the federal government, the ERLC will continue our advocacy before the judicial branch on matters consistent with our mission and will continue to work in partnership with state conventions and state advocacy groups on issues of missional priority that are of national importance.

This agenda is not an exhaustive blueprint, but a sketch of the core public policy priorities for the next year through the cooperation of congregations throughout the Southern Baptist Convention.

DOWNLOAD THE 2023 ERLC PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA
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Article 12: The Future of AI

We affirm that AI will continue to be developed in ways that we cannot currently imagine or understand, including AI that will far surpass many human abilities. God alone has the power to create life, and no future advancements in AI will usurp Him as the Creator of life. The church has a unique role in proclaiming human dignity for all and calling for the humane use of AI in all aspects of society.

We deny that AI will make us more or less human, or that AI will ever obtain a coequal level of worth, dignity, or value to image-bearers. Future advancements in AI will not ultimately fulfill our longings for a perfect world. While we are not able to comprehend or know the future, we do not fear what is to come because we know that God is omniscient and that nothing we create will be able to thwart His redemptive plan for creation or to supplant humanity as His image-bearers.

Genesis 1; Isaiah 42:8; Romans 1:20-21; 5:2; Ephesians 1:4-6; 2 Timothy 1:7-9; Revelation 5:9-10

Article 11: Public Policy

We affirm that the fundamental purposes of government are to protect human beings from harm, punish those who do evil, uphold civil liberties, and to commend those who do good. The public has a role in shaping and crafting policies concerning the use of AI in society, and these decisions should not be left to those who develop these technologies or to governments to set norms.

We deny that AI should be used by governments, corporations, or any entity to infringe upon God-given human rights. AI, even in a highly advanced state, should never be delegated the governing authority that has been granted by an all-sovereign God to human beings alone. 

Romans 13:1-7; Acts 10:35; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 10: War

We affirm that the use of AI in warfare should be governed by love of neighbor and the principles of just war. The use of AI may mitigate the loss of human life, provide greater protection of non-combatants, and inform better policymaking. Any lethal action conducted or substantially enabled by AI must employ 5 human oversight or review. All defense-related AI applications, such as underlying data and decision-making processes, must be subject to continual review by legitimate authorities. When these systems are deployed, human agents bear full moral responsibility for any actions taken by the system.

We deny that human agency or moral culpability in war can be delegated to AI. No nation or group has the right to use AI to carry out genocide, terrorism, torture, or other war crimes.

Genesis 4:10; Isaiah 1:16-17; Psalm 37:28; Matthew 5:44; 22:37-39; Romans 13:4

Article 9: Security

We affirm that AI has legitimate applications in policing, intelligence, surveillance, investigation, and other uses supporting the government’s responsibility to respect human rights, to protect and preserve human life, and to pursue justice in a flourishing society.

We deny that AI should be employed for safety and security applications in ways that seek to dehumanize, depersonalize, or harm our fellow human beings. We condemn the use of AI to suppress free expression or other basic human rights granted by God to all human beings.

Romans 13:1-7; 1 Peter 2:13-14

Article 8: Data & Privacy

We affirm that privacy and personal property are intertwined individual rights and choices that should not be violated by governments, corporations, nation-states, and other groups, even in the pursuit of the common good. While God knows all things, it is neither wise nor obligatory to have every detail of one’s life open to society.

We deny the manipulative and coercive uses of data and AI in ways that are inconsistent with the love of God and love of neighbor. Data collection practices should conform to ethical guidelines that uphold the dignity of all people. We further deny that consent, even informed consent, although requisite, is the only necessary ethical standard for the collection, manipulation, or exploitation of personal data—individually or in the aggregate. AI should not be employed in ways that distort truth through the use of generative applications. Data should not be mishandled, misused, or abused for sinful purposes to reinforce bias, strengthen the powerful, or demean the weak.

Exodus 20:15, Psalm 147:5; Isaiah 40:13-14; Matthew 10:16 Galatians 6:2; Hebrews 4:12-13; 1 John 1:7 

Article 7: Work

We affirm that work is part of God’s plan for human beings participating in the cultivation and stewardship of creation. The divine pattern is one of labor and rest in healthy proportion to each other. Our view of work should not be confined to commercial activity; it must also include the many ways that human beings serve each other through their efforts. AI can be used in ways that aid our work or allow us to make fuller use of our gifts. The church has a Spirit-empowered responsibility to help care for those who lose jobs and to encourage individuals, communities, employers, and governments to find ways to invest in the development of human beings and continue making vocational contributions to our lives together.

We deny that human worth and dignity is reducible to an individual’s economic contributions to society alone. Humanity should not use AI and other technological innovations as a reason to move toward lives of pure leisure even if greater social wealth creates such possibilities.

Genesis 1:27; 2:5; 2:15; Isaiah 65:21-24; Romans 12:6-8; Ephesians 4:11-16

Article 6: Sexuality

We affirm the goodness of God’s design for human sexuality which prescribes the sexual union to be an exclusive relationship between a man and a woman in the lifelong covenant of marriage.

We deny that the pursuit of sexual pleasure is a justification for the development or use of AI, and we condemn the objectification of humans that results from employing AI for sexual purposes. AI should not intrude upon or substitute for the biblical expression of sexuality between a husband and wife according to God’s design for human marriage.

Genesis 1:26-29; 2:18-25; Matthew 5:27-30; 1 Thess 4:3-4

Article 5: Bias

We affirm that, as a tool created by humans, AI will be inherently subject to bias and that these biases must be accounted for, minimized, or removed through continual human oversight and discretion. AI should be designed and used in such ways that treat all human beings as having equal worth and dignity. AI should be utilized as a tool to identify and eliminate bias inherent in human decision-making.

We deny that AI should be designed or used in ways that violate the fundamental principle of human dignity for all people. Neither should AI be used in ways that reinforce or further any ideology or agenda, seeking to subjugate human autonomy under the power of the state.

Micah 6:8; John 13:34; Galatians 3:28-29; 5:13-14; Philippians 2:3-4; Romans 12:10

Article 4: Medicine

We affirm that AI-related advances in medical technologies are expressions of God’s common grace through and for people created in His image and that these advances will increase our capacity to provide enhanced medical diagnostics and therapeutic interventions as we seek to care for all people. These advances should be guided by basic principles of medical ethics, including beneficence, non-maleficence, autonomy, and justice, which are all consistent with the biblical principle of loving our neighbor.

We deny that death and disease—effects of the Fall—can ultimately be eradicated apart from Jesus Christ. Utilitarian applications regarding healthcare distribution should not override the dignity of human life. Fur- 3 thermore, we reject the materialist and consequentialist worldview that understands medical applications of AI as a means of improving, changing, or completing human beings.

Matthew 5:45; John 11:25-26; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Galatians 6:2; Philippians 2:4

Article 3: Relationship of AI & Humanity

We affirm the use of AI to inform and aid human reasoning and moral decision-making because it is a tool that excels at processing data and making determinations, which often mimics or exceeds human ability. While AI excels in data-based computation, technology is incapable of possessing the capacity for moral agency or responsibility.

We deny that humans can or should cede our moral accountability or responsibilities to any form of AI that will ever be created. Only humanity will be judged by God on the basis of our actions and that of the tools we create. While technology can be created with a moral use in view, it is not a moral agent. Humans alone bear the responsibility for moral decision making.

Romans 2:6-8; Galatians 5:19-21; 2 Peter 1:5-8; 1 John 2:1

Article 2: AI as Technology

We affirm that the development of AI is a demonstration of the unique creative abilities of human beings. When AI is employed in accordance with God’s moral will, it is an example of man’s obedience to the divine command to steward creation and to honor Him. We believe in innovation for the glory of God, the sake of human flourishing, and the love of neighbor. While we acknowledge the reality of the Fall and its consequences on human nature and human innovation, technology can be used in society to uphold human dignity. As a part of our God-given creative nature, human beings should develop and harness technology in ways that lead to greater flourishing and the alleviation of human suffering.

We deny that the use of AI is morally neutral. It is not worthy of man’s hope, worship, or love. Since the Lord Jesus alone can atone for sin and reconcile humanity to its Creator, technology such as AI cannot fulfill humanity’s ultimate needs. We further deny the goodness and benefit of any application of AI that devalues or degrades the dignity and worth of another human being. 

Genesis 2:25; Exodus 20:3; 31:1-11; Proverbs 16:4; Matthew 22:37-40; Romans 3:23

Article 1: Image of God

We affirm that God created each human being in His image with intrinsic and equal worth, dignity, and moral agency, distinct from all creation, and that humanity’s creativity is intended to reflect God’s creative pattern.

We deny that any part of creation, including any form of technology, should ever be used to usurp or subvert the dominion and stewardship which has been entrusted solely to humanity by God; nor should technology be assigned a level of human identity, worth, dignity, or moral agency.

Genesis 1:26-28; 5:1-2; Isaiah 43:6-7; Jeremiah 1:5; John 13:34; Colossians 1:16; 3:10; Ephesians 4:24