NEW YORK (ABP) — Time Magazine ranked the Southern Baptist Convention's refusal to establish a database of clergy sex offenders one of the most under-reported news stories in 2008. A ranking of under-reported stories in Time's "Top 10 Everything of…
Pastor calls for ‘un-blending’ of secular, sacred Christmas traditions
LEAWOOD, Kan. (ABP) — A Baptist pastor thinks he has a solution to the dilemma about whether it's more appropriate to say "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays" in secular settings like department stores. Mike McKinney submits that tensions that flare…
Mike Huckabee says American Christians ‘persecuted’
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — Former Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee says it is culturally acceptable in America to persecute Christians. In an interview with the Florida Baptist Witness, the former Arkansas governor cited foot baths provided for Muslims at the…
Supreme Court orders new review of detainee religious-rights case
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The Supreme Court has instructed a lower court to review its decision that terrorism detainees lack religious rights under United States law. The justices issued an order Dec. 15 reversing the January decision by the District of…
Southern Seminary facing budget shortfall
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (ABP) — The head of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary is predicting layoffs and tuition increases to manage a $3 million budget shortfall. President Al Mohler said in a Dec. 15 letter to the seminary community that cost-saving measures…
Baptist peace activist lobbied to end El Salvador’s civil war
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Baptist peacemaker who lobbied Congress to stop U.S. funding of El Salvador's 1980-1992 civil war has died following a brief battle with cancer. Amparo Lopez Palacios, 69, discovered only weeks before her Nov. 14 death that…
Baptist peace activist lobbied to end El Salvador’s civil war
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Baptist peacemaker who lobbied Congress to stop the United States’ funding of one side in El Salvador’s 1980-1992 civil war has died. Amparo Lopez Palacios, 69, discovered only weeks before her Nov. 14 death that she was suffering…
WMU budget cuts include worker furlough
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Woman's Missionary Union has announced budget cutbacks affecting nearly 100 employees of the Southern Baptist Convention women's auxiliary, founded in 1888. After consulting with the WMU Executive Board's finance and personnel committees Dec. 8, WMU Executive…
WMU budget cuts include worker furlough
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Woman's Missionary Union has announced budget cutbacks affecting the nearly 100 employees of the Southern Baptist Convention women's auxiliary, founded in 1888. After consulting with the WMU Executive Board's finance and personnel committees Dec. 8, WMU…
Judge halts Christian-themed South Carolina license plates
COLUMBIA, S.C. (ABP) — South Carolinians who want to advertise their Christian faith on their car tags won’t get to anytime soon, according to a Dec. 11 ruling by a federal judge. A mock-up of the proposed South Carolina license…
Controversy over NPR comments forces NAE lobbyist Cizik out
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Backlash over comments about gay rights on a public-radio broadcast has apparently cost a prominent National Association of Evangelicals lobbyist his job. Richard Cizik resigned Dec. 10 as NAE’s vice president for governmental affairs, according to a…
Indianapolis woman, church help ease pain of HIV/AIDS
Shirley Heidenreich, right, and Joyce Finch, left, members of Speedway Baptist Church in Indianapolis, prepare for the weekly HIV/AIDS support group. (CBF photo by Shawn Williams). INDIANAPOLIS (ABP) – The birthday celebrations that Karen Estle throws each month at an…