By Bob Allen Most histories of the Southern Baptist Convention controversy in the late 20th century downplay or neglect the impact and role of women, a female historian says in a recent book. Elizabeth Flowers, associate professor of religion at…
Former youth minister sentenced in third court
By Bob Allen A former Southern Baptist youth minister has been sentenced in a third Alabama county for sexually abusing young boys in the 1980s. Mack Allen Davis, 74, former youth pastor at Lakeside Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., was…
Complementarian scholar moves to Midwestern Seminary
By Bob Allen Owen Strachan, a leading advocate of a theological view that men and women have different but complementary roles in marriage, church and society, has been named to the faculty of Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City,…
Baylor drops language referring to ‘homosexual acts’
By Bob Allen Baptist-affiliated Baylor University has quietly removed a ban on “homosexual acts” from its sexual conduct code. In a change last May that went unreported until a story in the Waco Tribune-Herald July 2, Baylor’s board of regents…
Church/state group attacks ‘bogus’ religious liberty claims
By Bob Allen Americans United for Separation of State unveiled a new initiative July 7 to counter attempts by the Religious Right to conflate religious liberty with the right to discriminate against LGBT Americans. The new Protect Thy Neighbor initiative…
Jimmy Carter says Jesus would approve gay marriage
By Bob Allen Former President Jimmy Carter — nicknamed in Baptist circles the world’s most famous Sunday school teacher — says he thinks Jesus would approve of same-sex marriage. “I believe Jesus would approve gay marriage, but that’s just my own personal…
Lynn Messer still missing after a year
By Bob Allen The disappearance of a Missouri Baptist lobbyist’s wife remains a mystery one year after 52-year-old Lynn Messer apparently walked away from the family’s 300-acre farm. Kerry Messer, founder of the Missouri Family Network, called the Ste. Genevieve…
Pastor’s killer ruled not guilty due to insanity
By Bob Allen An Illinois man who six years ago shot and killed a Southern Baptist minister in a Sunday morning worship service has been found not guilty by reason of insanity and will likely spend the rest of his…
N.C. lawmakers lift ban on Sunday hunting
By Bob Allen Baptists in North Carolina opposed to ending the state’s ban on Sunday hunting got some accommodation in a compromise measure passed by the legislature that prohibits hunting with a firearm between 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on…