WASHINGTON (ABP) — As Pentagon officials appointed a rabbi to a new post overseeing the Air Force's religious environment, members of Congress and religious leaders disagreed over the extent of religious problems that have created a stir at the branch's…
Supreme Court offers split decisions in Ten Commandments cases
WASHINGTON (ABP) — The U.S. Supreme Court offered split decisions June 28 on an issue that often splits Americans — display of the Ten Commandments — ruling one such display in Texas was appropriate while two different displays in Kentucky…
No justices resign, but questions about future court picks remain
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Although there was a lot of news on the last day of the Supreme Court's 2004-2005 session June 28, one of the biggest stories was a non-story: No justices announced their retirement from the bench. Many court…
Mood among Sri Lankans changing as recovery work takes hold
BATTICALOA, Sri Lanka (ABP) — When the day starts winding down, the action on a sandlot along the Sri Lankan coast begins to heat up as young men from around the neighborhood gather for a game of cricket nearly every…
Compassion painting new picture of Christianity to eastern Sri Lanka
COLUMBO, Sri Lanka (ABP) — Christian compassion is drawing new interest about the faith along the eastern coast of Sri Lanka, according to relief workers. Some people are converting to Christianity. Others are asking questions about Jesus. Christians are showing…
CBF’s theological ‘partner’ schools await details of who’s in, who’s out
(ABP) — Leaders at theological schools that receive financial support from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship generally agree the Fellowship needed to reconsider how it relates to such “partner” institutions. But “the devil is in the details,” one administrator said, particularly…
Justices reinforce government power to seize homes, other property
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A closely divided Supreme Court ruled June 23 that municipal and other governments have broad power to seize private property — including, possibly, houses of worship — for public purposes. And while churches continue to enjoy heightened…
SBC may consider asking WMU to come under convention authority
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ABP) — The Southern Baptist Convention will consider attempting to bring its women's auxiliary under its authority, thanks to a motion from the floor of the SBC annual meeting. Woman's Missionary Union is an auxiliary to the SBC,…
Dead frogs and baptisms gain attention of Southern Baptists
NASHVILLE, Fla. (ABP) — What do dead frogs and stagnant churches have in common? A lot, Southern Baptist Convention president Bobby Welch told the recent SBC meeting. Welch provided one of the more memorable sermon props in recent history when…
NCAA extends Baylor’s probation, cuts games, for basketball violations
WACO, Texas (ABP) — Baylor University's men's basketball team is banned from non-conference play for one year and is under five years of probation for NCAA infractions discovered after the murder of former basketball player Patrick Dennehy in 2003. Four…
New progressive group to counter Religious Right on Christian terms
WASHINGTON (ABP) — A new left-leaning advocacy organization wants to carve out a niche for itself in an increasingly crowded field of groups trying to counter the Religious Right's rhetoric. Leaders of the Christian Alliance for Progress held a formal…
Klansman guilty of manslaughter of three civil-rights activists
Editor's note: This story is updated to include the judge's sentence. PHILADELPHIA, Miss. (ABP) — Forty-one years after the crime, Baptist preacher and former Ku Klux Klan member Edgar Ray Killen was sentenced to 60 years in prison for…