By Bob Allen Proclamations and public gatherings aside, racism is not gone from the Southern Baptist Convention, says the convention’s top spokesman for moral and public-policy concerns. “Racism is alive and well within the Southern Baptist Convention and within many…
Church replaces ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign
By Bob Allen After vandals stole its ‘Black Lives Matter’ sign, First Baptist Church of Jamaica Plain, Mass., now has two. While a crowd of about 100 gathered Nov. 1 for a reinstallation ceremony covered by the Boston Globe, an…
Church’s waning clout no surprise to ‘remnant’
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist scholar says a recent Pew study indicating Americans as a whole are growing less religious but that those who still belong to a religion are as faithful as ever simply confirms a “remnant” theme…
Houston voters defeat equal rights ordinance
By Bob Allen Voters overwhelmingly rejected Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance — or HERO — designed to protect the rights of gay citizens and opposed by religious conservatives who warned it would give male sexual predators access to women’s bathrooms. A Nov. 3…
Ky. governor-elect has friends in SBC
By Bob Allen Kentucky’s new Tea Party-backed governor has strong ties to Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Ky. Matt Bevin, a political outsider who captured 52.5 percent of the Nov. 3 vote to 43.8 percent for Democratic Attorney General…
Church denies negligence in abuse lawsuit
By Bob Allen A Southern Baptist church in Georgia denied allegations of negligence in a lawsuit alleging child sexual abuse by a former church volunteer later named as youth pastor. A civil lawsuit filed in Toombs County Superior Court alleges…
Prestonwood Baptist Church sells Dallas campus
By Bob Allen Four years after announcing bold plans to return to its Dallas roots, Prestonwood Baptist Church has quietly closed its Dallas campus, which is being sold to a non-denominational charismatic megachurch. Robert Morris, founding pastor of the 36,000-member…
BWA women’s director stepping down
By Bob Allen Patsy Davis, executive director of the Baptist World Alliance Women’s Department for 17 years, announced retirement plans days before an annual day of prayer she helped grow into a recognized ministry connecting Baptist women together around the…
For many, Bible no longer Good Book
By Bob Allen Nearly one in 10 Americans believe the Bible is a dangerous book, and 14 percent say following its teaching would be harmful for American society, according to a new survey on sacred texts and society by LifeWay…