JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) – In a split 44-7 vote, the Missouri Baptist Convention Executive Board fired its top administrator, David Clippard, April 10. Clippard, who assumed duties as executive director Sept. 9, 2002, was terminated in a four-hour, closed-door…
Wade announces plans to retire as Texas Baptist executive
DALLAS (ABP) — Charles Wade, who led the Baptist General Convention of Texas through major changes in its governance and a reorganization of its staff, has announced plans to retire as executive director Jan. 31, 2008. Wade told BGCT employees…
Democratic presidential race features more faith than usual
(Editor's note: This is the second part of a two-part series.) WASHINGTON (ABP) — With many Republicans concerned their party's leading presidential candidates are not sufficiently conservative on social issues, Democrats have what may be their most faith-friendly crop of…
Southwestern seminary files motion against dismissed professor’s suit
FORT WORTH, Texas (ABP) — Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary has filed a motion to dismiss the gender-discrimination lawsuit that former professor Sheri Klouda brought against the school. Filed in a federal court April 9, the motion argues the suit should…
Arson culprits sentenced to prison, restitution for Alabama church fires
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (ABP) — Three former college students convicted of setting fire to nine Baptist churches in rural Alabama were sentenced to prison April 9. They must also pay millions in restitution and perform community service for their crime. Matthew…
Clippard, embattled Missouri Baptist exec, fired in closed-door session
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (ABP) — David Clippard, embattled executive director of the Missouri Baptist Convention, was fired April 10 by the convention's Executive Board. Following a second closed-door meeting about Clippard's leadership within six months, Executive Board members voted 44-7…
OPINION: Iraq deadline debate proves morally difficult to resolve
The Democratic-led Congress and the Bush White House may be heading toward a train wreck over recently passed legislation setting a goal of withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq by March 2008. This was entirely predictable, but as the impasse deepens,…
Prominent professor accused of fraudulently investing millions
COLUMBIA, S.C. (ABP) – An economics professor at a South Carolina Baptist university was charged with fraud April 5, after federal authorities discovered $134 million missing from investment funds he managed. The academic has since claimed amnesia and reportedly checked…
GOP presidential race again features faith, but new dynamics
WASHINGTON (ABP) — With Democratic front-runners talking openly about evangelical-style conversion experiences and Republicans lamenting that none of their top-tier candidates are bona fide social conservatives, experts say the 2008 presidential campaign may rewrite political playbooks on the role of…
Newlyweds trade rural Kentucky for adventurous life in New Orleans
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — James Welch and Amy Bradley-Welch are quite the adventurous couple. Newlyweds, they graduated in 2006 from a small, rural Baptist college and immediately headed to the raucous, easy-living city on the bayou: New Orleans. Now the Campbellsville…
Former leader Lyons, now paroled, rejected by National Baptist group
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (ABP) — Henry Lyons, the disgraced pastor and convicted felon who campaigned to become president of the Florida General Baptist Convention, was rejected April 4 by delegates at the state convention's annual meeting. Attendees at the meeting…
Pennsylvania county settles lawsuit over faith-based prisoner program
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A Pennsylvania county has settled a lawsuit over funding a prisoner-rehabilitation program that allegedly was filled with religious content. Bradford County, Pa., and attorneys representing six county taxpayers agreed to the settlement in federal court April 3,…