PARIS (ABP) — France's lower house of parliament has voted overwhelmingly to prohibit students from wearing “conspicuous” religious symbols in public schools, sparking an outcry from religious liberty advocates in the United States. The French National Assembly voted 494 to…
NAMB stops endorsing female military chaplains
ALPHARETTA, Ga. (ABP) — The North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention will cease endorsing women to chaplain positions “where the role and function of the chaplain would be seen the same as that of a pastor.” The…
South Korea scientists report on cloned human embryos
(ABP) — Scientists in South Korea report that they have created human embryos through cloning and extracted embryonic stem cells, the universal cells that hold great promise for medical research, according to the Boston Globe. Their goal, the scientists say,…
House committee airs issues over Super Bowl indecency
WASHINGTON (ABP) — Members of a House panel grilled a television executive and the National Football League's head Feb. 11 in a hearing on the lingering controversy over TV indecency at the Super Bowl. The House subcommittee on telecommunications is…
As SBC vote on leaving BWA nears, protester walks to inspire change of heart
NASHVILLE (ABP) — Despite pleas from their Baptist brethren worldwide, Southern Baptist Convention leaders show no sign of abandoning their plan to withdraw from the Baptist World Alliance. But that isn't stopping Florida retiree Bob Casey from trying to change…
France’s ban on religious symbols in schools sparks outcry from religious-liberty advocates
PARIS (ABP) — France's lower house of parliament has voted overwhelmingly to prohibit students from wearing “conspicuous” religious symbols in public schools, sparking an outcry from religious liberty advocates in the United States. The French National Assembly voted 494 to…
Judge dismisses most counts against Baylor in wrongful death suit
WACO, Texas (ABP) — A Waco judge dismissed Feb. 6 most of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the father of slain Baylor University basketball player Patrick Dennehy. Ralph Strother of Waco's 19th State District Court threw out six of…
CBF membership influenced BWA decision, Rankin says
RICHMOND, Va. (ABP) — The Baptist World Alliance's decision to accept the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship into membership helped persuade the Southern Baptist Convention to withdraw from the BWA, an SBC leader said. Jerry Rankin, president of the SBC's International Mission…
Historic Massachusetts session tries to reverse gay marriage
BOSTON (ABP) — The Massachusetts legislature convened an unusual constitutional convention Feb. 11 to consider ways to reverse or limit the state supreme court's recent legalization of gay marriage. With thousands of protesters gathered outside, legislators began debating legal measures…