A wife should submit graciously to her husband, respect him and serve as his helper, according to the latest voting by Southern Baptists.

And the leader of the 16 million-strong Baptist convention says the conservatively-worded declaration proves their church is 'pro-God and pro-family'.

Baptists voted overwhelmingly for the amendment

Paige Patterson, President of the Southern Baptist Convention, said: "I don't see it as particularly anti-anything. I see it as an effort to state what southern Baptists have always believed."

The Southern Baptists, who count President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore among their members, are convinced that women who work - especially women priests - are behind the collapse of the "American family".

Followers of this new stricture, common to many evangelical American Churches, quote directly from the Bible to prove their point.

An oft-mentioned passage from the book of Timothy: "Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection" had high exposure on banners at the Baptist convention.

But using the scriptures to order women to obey their husbands is not new - it has become something of a trend in the United States.

The Promise Keepers filling Washington's Mall

A similar call comes from the Promise Keepers, a self-proclaimed "Christ-centred ministry dedicated to uniting men through vital relationships to become godly influences in their world."

The Promise Keepers' 1997 mass rally of evangelical men filled the Mall in Washington.

The Southern Baptists' moral crusades have been known to produce somewhat less than the desired effect.

Last year, Baptists targeted the Disney Corporation for having 'Gay Days' at its theme parks and for producing what baptists consider unsuitably gay-themed films and television shows.

Although millions of Baptists were urged to boycott Disney products, there has been scant impact on the company's profits.